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A record 711,156 coronavirus jabs have been given in the UK in the last 24 hours, latest figures show.
The number is up from 660,276 yesterday and marks the highest daily total so far.
The official figures also showed the country had recorded another 5,587 new Covid-19 cases and a further 96 deaths. The seven-day average death toll is now below 100 for the first time since October.
It came as it was further announced more than half the UK’s adult population had now received a first vaccine dose.
Boris Johnson hailed the milestone as a “fantastic achievement” and said: “Let’s keep going!”
The prime minister said: “Like the rest of the country I am immensely proud of the progress we have made so far in rolling out vaccinations.
“There is still further to go and I encourage everyone to take up the offer when asked to do so.
“I received my first vaccine yesterday and would like to thank the brilliant NHS staff I met, alongside the teams and volunteers working across the UK to deliver this vital protection.”
It means that the country is now just five million doses short of its second major inoculation target of vaccinating the first nine priority groups by the 15 April.
Toasting the news, Matt Hancock, health secretary, said the roll out was “a national success story and our way out of this pandemic”.
The positive figures come in stark contrast to rising numbers of coronavirus cases now engulfing Europe.
Countries across the continent – including France and Poland – have had to reimpose toughened restrictions amid a rise in cases, with scientists here warning the new wave of infections may yet hit this country.
Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Spi-M modelling group which advises the government, said there was a danger that new variants could jeopardise the vaccination programme later in the year.
Other experts have dvised people that overseas travel for non-essential reasons may stay banned well into the summer.
Infectious disease expert Dr Tildesley told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think that international travel this summer is, for the average holidaymaker, sadly I think, extremely unlikely.
“I think we are running a real risk if we do start to have lots of people going overseas in July and August because of the potential for bringing more of these new variants back into the country.
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