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Covid: Vaccine uptake among over-50s hits 95% in England | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The percentage of over-50s vaccinated has hit 95% in England, NHS data shows. | |
The take-up among those aged 45-49 is at 59% after they started being offered the jab earlier this month. | The take-up among those aged 45-49 is at 59% after they started being offered the jab earlier this month. |
But uptake among care home staff - one of the first groups to be offered the jab - is still around 80% despite attempts to get more to come forward. | But uptake among care home staff - one of the first groups to be offered the jab - is still around 80% despite attempts to get more to come forward. |
It comes as figures show that coronavirus was not the leading cause of death in England and Wales in March, for the first time since October. | |
Covid had been the leading cause of death every month between November and February, according to Office for National Statistics data. | |
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A further 18 people in the UK had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Thursday, according to government figures, bringing the total by that measure to 127,345. | |
There have also been a further 2,729 lab-confirmed cases of the virus in the UK. | |
The latest vaccination figures show more than 33 million people in the UK have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine with more than 10 million having received both doses. | |
Government data shows that a further 117,909 first doses were given on Wednesday as well as 416,784 second shots. | |
But despite efforts to increase uptake among care home workers NHS England said 80.4% of eligible staff working at older adult care homes had received the jab by 18 April. | |
While 72.3% of staff working in independent Care Quality Commission-registered younger adult care homes and domiciliary care providers have received their first dose. | |
Ministers have launched a consultation on whether care home workers should be required to receive a Covid vaccine, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock saying it was "something many care homes have called for". | |
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The figures are released as Margaret Keenan - the first person to be vaccinated in the UK - praised the "incredible" rollout of the jabs. | The figures are released as Margaret Keenan - the first person to be vaccinated in the UK - praised the "incredible" rollout of the jabs. |
The 91-year-old was given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in early December at at University Hospital in Coventry in December. | The 91-year-old was given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in early December at at University Hospital in Coventry in December. |
In an online chat with NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens, Mrs Keenan, originally from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, urged anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to come forward. | In an online chat with NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens, Mrs Keenan, originally from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, urged anyone who has not yet been vaccinated to come forward. |
"There's nothing to it, you don't feel anything" she said. | "There's nothing to it, you don't feel anything" she said. |
Ms Keenan praised staff who have helped with the rollout of the vaccines: "They're incredible, I cannot find words to say. They're incredible with what they've done." | Ms Keenan praised staff who have helped with the rollout of the vaccines: "They're incredible, I cannot find words to say. They're incredible with what they've done." |