The Most Reverend Justin Welby, 65, is a volunteer member of the chaplaincy team at London’s St Thomas’ Hospital. He tweeted a photograph of himself receiving the vaccine and said its development had been an ‘answer to prayer’.

He wrote: ‘The rapid development of the vaccine is an answer to prayer – and it is central to the recovery from this terrible pandemic.

‘Jesus Christ calls us to love our neighbour as ourselves. Getting the vaccine is part of that commandment: We can show our love for each other by keeping each other safe from this terrible disease.

‘I want to encourage everyone to get the Covid-19 vaccine when they are invited. Staff across the NHS, and health workers across the world, are under immense pressure on the front lines of the pandemic.

‘They deserve not just our admiration but our support – and getting the vaccine when we have the opportunity is something we can all do to relieve the burden on them.’

He said the rapid development of the vaccine was ‘an answer to prayer’

The Government announced this week they are now inviting over-70s and the clinically extremely vulnerable to get their vaccines.

These are the next two priority groups after over-80s, care home residents and NHS and social care staff.

The first priority groups will still take precedence, but sites that have the resources will be able to move on to vaccinating those next in line.

The Government say they are currently on course to vaccinate 15 million people across the UK by mid-February. If that progress continues, the Government could be in a position to lift lockdown restrictions in early March, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said.