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The Secretary of Health will address the nation at 5 p.m. to announce that all elderly residents in nursing homes have been offered a coronavirus injection. The big step forward in launching the vaccine comes when a leaked Cabinet Office document indicates that the number of coronavirus infections in the UK is “stabilizing”.
Immunization of nursing home residents is a key moment in the Government’s launch of the jab program, with the NHS aiming to have delivered a first dose of the vaccine to the four most vulnerable groups by 15 February.
Hancock said that four-fifths of people over the age of 80 have received their first dose of the vaccine, along with three-quarters of those between the ages of 75 and 79.
Almost nine million people in Britain have received a Covid puncture, which means that 17 percent of the adult population has been vaccinated.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the nursing home news as a “crucial milestone” in the fight against the coronavirus.
Johnson said: “Today marks a crucial milestone in our ongoing race to vaccinate the most vulnerable against this deadly disease.
“We said we would prioritize and protect the residents of the nursing home, and that is exactly what we have done.”
He said the launch will “only accelerate from now on” after the daily number of jabs delivered in the UK exceeded 500,000 for the first time over the weekend.
Figures released yesterday indicated that 598,389 people were hit on Saturday.
Only in a small minority of nursing homes where there is currently a coronavirus outbreak have no injections been given to residents.
NHS England Director of Primary Care Dr Nikki Kanani said: “I want to thank my colleagues and everyone involved in launching the vaccine for their extraordinary work over the last few weeks as it is due to their tireless efforts. that millions of people have already been vaccinated, including hundreds of thousands of nursing home residents, and as a result, we are a vital step in our fight against Covid-19.
“It has been a privilege to vaccinate some of the most vulnerable people and the wonderful people who care for them.
“Many have had little contact with the outside world during the pandemic, so it has been truly humiliating for everyone, giving them hope and, most importantly, protection against the disease.”
The announcement on nursing homes is part of a double dose of good news, as ministers were informed that the coronavirus crisis is now stabilizing with hospitalizations on the decline.
A leaked cabinet document, seen by Politico, indicates that the number of infections is decreasing and pressure on the NHS is slowly diminishing.
In the last week, 169,714 new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed with a positive test, a 33 percent drop from the previous week.
Hospitalizations remain high and there are currently 34,783 inpatients, but the number has dropped from a high of 39,204 on January 18.
However, the scientists warned the Cabinet that the number of daily deaths will remain stubbornly high for weeks to come.
Last week, the UK surpassed a bleak total of 100,000 coronavirus deaths, and Johnson apologized for the toll.
He said he took “full responsibility” for everything the government has done during the crisis.
The UK has one of the highest Covid death rates in the world, with the fifth highest number of deaths per capita.
More to follow …
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