Over-50s in England invited to book their Covid-19 vaccination

Increase in supply puts Britain’s delivery plan ahead of schedule

A man receives a Covid-19 vaccination in Ealing, west London, in the UK. England is speeding up the vaccination of over-50s. AP 

People over 50 in England are being invited to book a coronavirus vaccination, after a significant increase in supplies.

The UK government said last month that all over-50s should be offered a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of May.

Authorities are now hopeful that all vulnerable people, all over-50s and those with underlying health conditions will have at least one vaccination by April 15.

The UK’s delivery plan prioritises vaccines based on age and health factors that can make people vulnerable to the disease.

Covid vaccines are already being offered to over-50s in Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland. This may have already been rolled out in parts of England as well.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged everyone who is eligible to book an appointment:

Britain's supply was boosted by a large shipment of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute in India.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, a panel of experts that advises the government on immunisation, said the next stage of the programme would continue to prioritise based on age and not factors such as ethnicity and occupation, to avoid potential delays.

People aged 40 to 49 will be the next in line for vaccination once all vulnerable groups and over-50s are covered.

According to the latest UK government data, 24.8 million people have been given a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, with 1.6 million given the full two doses.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson set the target of vaccinating all adults in the UK by the end of July.