One million more people can now get the life-saving coronavirus jab, as the NHS opened bookings for people aged 32 and 33 on 22 May.

The third expansion of eligibility in just one week comes as data shows that England’s NHS has now delivered more than 50 million total doses of the coronavirus jab. Since the booking service opened for people under 40 just over a week ago, 2.6 million more bookings have already been made.

On the advice of the government and Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, people aged 50 and over and the clinically vulnerable are having their second doses brought forward, where possible, to counter the spread of the variant B1.617.2 originating in India. Nobody needs to contact the NHS and people will be told to rebook if they need to. More than four in 10 adults have had both doses, meaning they have maximum protection from the virus.

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS England chief executive, said: “Today, the biggest NHS vaccination programme in history hits another milestone as we pass 50 million life-saving jabs delivered across England. Over four fifths of people in their forties and over half of people aged 35-39 have now had their first jab, and today we’re extending the offer to 33 year olds.”