VACCINES Minister Nadhim Zahawi tonight ramped up calls for remaining Brits to get jabbed – as he credited the “phenomenal” rollout with saving more than 14,000 lives.
He celebrated reaching the milestone of three in five adults double-jabbed – and 82 per cent to have received a single dose.
Mr Zahawi told a Downing Street press briefing: “As we look to tackle and take on those final steps, those hard yards on the road to recovery, we need to make sure as many people are protected as possible.
“So we’re intensifying doubling down on efforts to get more people to come forward.”
He also astonishingly revealed that a third of 18-24 year-olds have already had a first dose – days after they were called up.
This evening’s briefing comes ahead of a crunch announcement on Monday when Boris Johnson will decide whether to unlock early on July 5.
The PM is poring over the latest data before making up his mind – but he is unlikely to cut short his roadmap and instead hold tight until July 19.
His decision to delay Freedom Day for four weeks was to keep the super-infectious Delta variant at bay while more Brits got jabbed.
The Government’s target is for all over-18s – who are now eligible to book an appointment – to have been offered a single dose before July 19.
In key Covid developments:
- A minister defended the expected decision to allow UEFA VIPs to skip quarantine
- Hopes rose that more countries will be added to the green list tomorrow
- Facemasks and social distancing is set to be scrapped on July 19
- Bullish experts said England could unlock early on July 5
Mr Zahawi – who fronted his first Downing Street press conference tonight – regularly bangs the drum for people to get the jab on the airwaves.
He has been especially vocal in encouraging ethnic minority communities to get vaccinated amid fears of low take-up rates.
A majority 60 per cent of adults have now had their second dose, and a whopping 82 per cent have received their first.
The PM hailed the milestone and tweeted: “Let’s finish the job. Get the jab.”
Ministers are now under pressure to tear up certain restrictions such as mandatory quarantine for the fully-vaccinated.
The PM and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have both confirmed they are looking at letting double-jabbed Brits skip quarantine.
It would come as a huge boost for holidaymakers longing for a post-pandemic getaway.
Culture minister John Whittingdale today raised hopes, telling Sky News: “People like to get away to the sun and there are a number of countries on the green list, and hopefully it will be possible to increase that number.”
