Call for over 70s and social care workers to get Covid-19 jab

Prime minister Boris Johnson urged remaining eligible individuals to get their Covid-19 jabs as the government closes in on the target date for vaccinating nearly 15 million of the most vulnerable people.

Latest NHS England figures, from January 31, show that nearly 93 per cent of over 80s across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have received their first dose with more than 86 per cent of 75 to 79-year-olds also getting their first jab.

Only 19.5 per cent of 70 to 74-year-olds in the county and on the island have had their first jab compared to the national total of 35.2 per cent.

Boris Johnson said he was urging people to come forward for vaccines so the country can progress on the ‘long and hard road back to normality’.

He told the Downing Street press conference this evening: ‘The reason I make this appeal today for people to come forward in those groups to get vaccinated is not to hit some numerical target but to save lives, prevent serious illness and so the whole country can take another step on the long and hard road back to normality.’

Mr Johnson also issued a particular appeal to social care workers who still have not been vaccinated to contact their employer to ‘fix it up’.

His call is backed by Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt.

Ms Mordaunt told The News: ‘Everyone is working so hard, around the clock, to get vaccines done as swiftly as possible.

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‘We want everyone in the key target groups to get their vaccine, so if you are over 70 and still have not had your jab or know someone in that situation please come forward.’

The government aimed to vaccine 15 million of the most vulnerable people, those aged 70 and over, healthcare workers and people that are shielding, by Monday next week.

Mr Johnson said: ‘With less than a week to go until the target date, there’s no doubt we’ve made great strides, with just over 13 million people now vaccinated in our United Kingdom.

‘But that still leaves nearly two million people, a population roughly twice the size of Birmingham, that we still hope to reach.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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