Record week for NHS vaccination programme

A record 636,219 Covid jabs were recorded in England on 19 March capping off a bumper week which saw the highest number of doses delivered since the NHS vaccination programme began.

New figures indicate that hard working NHS staff have delivered more than two and a half million doses over the past seven day. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among 535,489 people who received their first dose on 19 March when he was given the Oxford Astra Zeneca at St Thomas’s hospital in London, where he was treated when he was critically ill with the virus.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens had the Oxford Astra Zeneca jab at Westminster Abbey on 18 March when the health service in England hit another major milestone by vaccinating more than half the adult population.

In total, more than 22.8 million people have now had at least one jab in little over 100 days since the NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in the health service’s history, began. Another 1.5 million second doses have also been administered. The figures include 2,761,890 first jabs in the past seven days, around 200,000 more than the previous busiest week.

Doctors, nurses and countless other staff, supported by volunteers and others, are delivering the life-saving jab at more than 1,600 sites ranging from cathedrals, mosques and temples to racecourses, sports stadiums, cinemas and museums.

NHS staff delivered almost 100,000 Covid jabs in a single hour on 20 March as ‘Super Saturday’ took the vaccine programme to new heights. A record 756,873 jabs were recorded across England, including 686,424 first doses to cap a bumper week.

Stevens said: “When my turn came this week I was delighted to get my first dose – which was indeed quick and painless. As a result of this bumper week we’ve now already vaccinated over half of people in my age group aged 50-54, and I’d urge everyone who’s now being invited to take up the offer.

“We’ve got really good supply this coming week as well, so if you’re aged 50 plus, now’s a great time to book in for your NHS covid jab. The continuing speed and precision of this country’s covid vaccination campaign is no accident – it’s thanks to careful planning and efficient delivery, powered by amazingly dedicated NHS staff and a hugely enthusiastic public.”

Dr Emily Lawson, NHS Chief Commercial Officer, who is leading the vaccination programme, said: “This has been a remarkable team effort requiring careful planning and coordination. Everyone involved – including all our staff, supporters and volunteers and of course everyone choosing to be vaccinated – should feel proud of the role that they have played in helping us to reach this milestone, ensuring jabs are in arms, not in fridges.”