MILLIONS more Brits are eligible for a Covid vaccine from today.
The age limit has dropped once again, and people aged 38 and 39 in England have been able to book their jab from 7am today.
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Those aged 37 years old who turn 38 before July 1 are also eligble.
The NHS said around a million people will be sent text messages from “NHSvaccine” to encourage getting jabbed, with further invitations to follow in the coming days and weeks.
It will include a link to the NHS website to reserve an appointment. People can also call the service on 119.
Vaccinations are now being administered at more than 1,600 sites across the country, including mosques, museums and rugby grounds.
Pregnant women will also be able to book a jab from today after a change in guidance.
The move comes after nearly three quarters of people aged between 40 and 49 have had their first dose, less than a fortnight after they were offered a jab.
NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis, said: “When you get that text – book your appointment – and join the millions who have already been jabbed, protecting both yourself and your loved ones.”
Yesterday the NHS hit another milestone as figures show more than 45 million vaccinations have been given out in England alone.
England’s lead for the NHS vaccination programme, Dr Emily Lawson, Chief Commercial Officer for NHS England and Improvement, said it was the equivalent of nearly 300,000 doses a day – since the world-first jab.
Dr Lawson said: “The success of the programme is not a happy accident – it’s the result of people’s determination to protect their patients, families and communities.
“Now we need to keep up the momentum of the fastest and most successful NHS vaccination programme in history so when you get that text – book your appointment – and join the millions who have already been jabbed.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Our incredible vaccination programme has already saved thousands of lives and has helped to significantly reduce hospital and infection rates, allowing us to begin safely easing restrictions.
“Vaccines are our way out of the pandemic and I’m delighted we are now inviting people aged 38-39 to get their jabs. I urge everybody to get the vaccine as soon as they are eligible to protect yourself and your loved ones.”
Every jab given brings the UK one step closer to having widespread immunity in the population, helping to wipe Covid out.
Across the UK, almost 54.2 million doses have been given out so far.
More than two-thirds (67.8 per cent) of the UK adult population have had one dose, and over a third (35 per cent) have had two, meaning they have maximum protection against Covid.
It is planned that all adults in the UK will have their first vaccine dose by the end of July.
Wales has given a first dose to three-quarters of its adult population, ahead of Northern Ireland (67 per cent), England (67 per cent) and Scotland (65.4 per cent).
There are three vaccines on offer in the UK from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna.
But anyone under the age of 40 will only be offered the latter two due to the AZ jab being linked with rare blood clot cases.
The risk of a blood clot is extremely rare, but appears to be more common in young people.
An NHS Digital bulletin said anyone under 40 with an AZ jab booked “will have their appointment cancelled” before making a new booking, Pulse reported.
Anyone who is invited for a second dose of the AZ vaccine is urged to take it, regardeless of the link with blood clots.
Because the vaccine rollout is combined with the easing of lockdown, experts say the coronavirus is set to cause many more cases and deaths yet.
The scale of the “third wave” is currently unclear, but there are signs it has already begun, fuelled by the new Indian variant B.1.617.2.
