{"id":104392,"date":"2021-01-11T21:46:52","date_gmt":"2021-01-11T21:46:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/?p=104392"},"modified":"2021-01-11T21:46:52","modified_gmt":"2021-01-11T21:46:52","slug":"covid-19-2-6-million-jabs-given-to-2-3-million-people-but-uk-is-warned-vaccine-not-a-free-pass-to-ignore-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fin2me.com\/politics\/covid-19-2-6-million-jabs-given-to-2-3-million-people-but-uk-is-warned-vaccine-not-a-free-pass-to-ignore-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19: 2.6 million jabs given to 2.3 million people – but UK is warned vaccine ‘not a free pass’ to ignore rules"},"content":{"rendered":"
More than 2.6 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been given to almost 2.3 million people, the health secretary has said, as an NHS boss warned the jab is “not a free pass” to ignore national guidance.<\/p>\n
Matt Hancock told a Downing Street news conference that the government was on track to achieve its pledge of vaccinating the top four priority groups by the middle of February, a total of 15 million Britons.<\/p>\n
Live COVID updates from UK and around the world<\/strong><\/p>\n “We are on track to meet that target – it’s not going to be easy, but we are going to get there,” he said, describing vaccines as the “fastest route to safely lifting restrictions”.<\/p>\n New figures show a total of 2,286,572 people have been given a first vaccine dose – 1,959,151 in England, 163,377 in Scotland, 86,039 in Wales and 78,005 in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n A total of 388,677 second doses have been administered.<\/p>\n The four priority groups are: care home residents and staff; all those aged 80 and over and frontline health and social care workers; people aged 75 and over; everyone aged 70 and over and individuals classed as extremely vulnerable.<\/p>\n Mr Hancock said people in these groups account for 88% of COVID deaths, adding that two fifths of over 80s and “almost a quarter of older care home residents” have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.<\/p>\n The health secretary was speaking amid continued speculation about whether England’s third lockdown could be strengthened.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned the government “may have to do more”<\/strong> if ministers feel the rules “are not being properly observed”.<\/p>\n Asked whether this was a possibility, Mr Hancock said people should be focusing on sticking to the current rules “as they are”.<\/p>\n “The NHS, more than ever before, needs everybody to be doing something right now – and that something is to follow the rules,” he said.<\/p>\n “I know there has been speculation about more restrictions, and we don’t rule out taking further action if it is needed, but it is your actions now that can make a difference.<\/p>\n “Stay at home, and please reduce all social contact that is not absolutely strictly necessary. That’s what is needed: act like you have the virus.”<\/p>\n Ministers are understood to be considering how to achieve greater enforcement of social distancing and mask-wearing in supermarkets.<\/p>\n