London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Sep 05, 2026

Covid-19: Nearly 20 million people in UK have first vaccine dose

Covid-19: Nearly 20 million people in UK have first vaccine dose

Nearly 20 million people in the UK have now had their first dose of coronavirus vaccine, according to the government's latest figures.

As of Friday, more than 19.6 million people had received their first dose - an increase of more than half a million in a day.

Meanwhile, the number of people who have had their second jab has risen to 768,810.

The government is aiming to offer all adults the vaccine by the end of July.

The next target is to offer a first dose to all over-50s by 15 April, as well as people aged 16-64 with certain underlying health conditions and unpaid carers for disabled and elderly people.

After that, they will start offering jabs to people by age group.

There are no plans yet to vaccinate children, although trials have been announced to test the Oxford University jab on children.


The latest government statistics show a total of 20,450,858 jabs have been administered in the UK - including 19,682,048 first doses, equivalent to more than one in three adults in the UK.

This includes more than 16.6 million first doses in England, more than 1.5 million in Scotland, 916,336 in Wales and 515,678 in Northern Ireland.

The figures also show another 7,434 cases and a further 290 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus.

In a tweet on Saturday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was "delighted" at the latest figures.

"The vaccine roll-out shows what we can achieve when we work together," he said.


Meanwhile, Labour is calling on the government to set out a "proper plan" for how the local elections in May will be run safely.

Earlier this month it was announced the elections would go ahead on 6 May but with some changes - for example plastic screens in polling stations and people told to bring their own pens.

But deputy leader Angela Rayner accused the government of a "failure to take any action to encourage people to sign up to vote safely from home", meaning people could be disinclined to vote or face "dangerous crowds at polling stations".

A Cabinet Office spokesman said a "strong set of measures" had been put in place to make polling stations Covid-secure and a comprehensive public information campaign would be launched soon "so that voters are fully informed about how to participate".

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Urges Households to Keep Emergency Supplies Amid Severe El Niño Warning
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Regional Industry and Prison Reform Agenda
Siemens Energy Wins Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor Manufacturing Contract
UK Mortgage Costs Rise as Gilt Yields and Swap Rates Climb
Bank of England’s Huw Pill Calls for Prompt Rate Rise as Inflation Risks Persist
National Audit Office Warns UK Is Unprepared for Major Food Supply Disruptions
British Army Suspends Some Training Exercises as Budget Pressures Intensify
HMS Queen Elizabeth Deploys as NATO Allied Response Force Command Ship
Reform UK Suspends Two Senior Officials Over Alleged Foreign Donation Scheme
UK Reasserts Falkland Islands Sovereignty After Argentina Threatens Sanctions
Scottish Tech Company PureLifi Enters Administration With More Than 40 Job Losses
Scottish Government Names Alyn Smith Innovation and Education Minister
Green Party Co-Leader Zack Polanski to Contest By-Election for Keir Starmer’s Former Seat
Palestine Action Activists Appeal Terrorism-Related Prison Sentences
PwC Report Highlights Persistent Regional Spending-Power Divide Across Britain
UK Names Hundreds of Employers for Minimum Wage Violations
UK Commits £400 Million to International Tropical Forest Fund
UK Extends £2 Bus Fare Cap Across England Through 2027
UK Warns Travellers as US-Iran Tensions Disrupt Middle East Security and Shipping
Andy Burnham Faces Kemi Badenoch in First Prime Minister’s Questions
Kemi Badenoch Names Andrew Griffith Shadow Chancellor in Conservative Reshuffle
UK Treasury and Markets Focus on Fiscal Headroom Ahead of Autumn Budget
UK Government Reverses Early Release Plans for Serious Violent and Sexual Offences
UK and France Review Border Cooperation After 48,000 Small-Boat Crossings Prevented
UK Growth Outlook Weakens as Inflation and Energy Costs Rise
Breeding Tropical Mosquitoes Discovered in East London
Sadiq Khan Agrees to Search of Digital Communications in Palantir Lawsuit
Scottish Protesters Call for Moratorium on AI Data Centre Expansion
Uber Drivers Bring London Class Action Over Algorithmic Management
Reform UK Accepts £4 Million Donation From Cryptocurrency Billionaire Pardoned by Trump
Justice Secretary Tightens Early Release Scheme to Exclude Manslaughter Offenders
Kemi Badenoch Reshuffles Conservative Team as Reform UK Pressure Grows
British Mortgage Rates Rise as Global Bond Sell-Off Pushes Up Borrowing Costs
UK Records Hottest Summer on Record in 2026
UK Government Urges Households to Stock Essential Supplies Ahead of Severe El Niño Risk
UK Prepares Targeted Sanctions Over Israeli Settlements in West Bank
Reform UK Faces Electoral and Police Scrutiny Over Foreign Donation Allegations
UK and France Expand Channel Migration Cooperation as Trade Tensions Surface
UK Marks Merchant Navy Day With Tribute to Civilian Seafarers
Burnham Pays Tribute to Two Police Officers Killed on Duty in Northern England
Booking.com Left Fake Downing Street Listing Online for Two Months, Which Says
Burnham and Macron to Review UK-France Cooperation on Channel Crossings
UK Business Confidence Improves Slightly but Investment Concerns Persist
Burnham Faces Pressure Over Future North Sea Oil and Gas Licences
Burnham Pushes Wider English Devolution Through ‘Number Ten North’
British Chambers of Commerce Raises 2026 UK Growth Forecast to 1%
Keir Starmer Resigns as Holborn and St Pancras MP, Triggering By-Election
UK Chancellor Faces Tighter Budget Headroom as Long-Term Borrowing Costs Rise
UK Government Weighs Thames Water Nationalisation as Financial Crisis Deepens
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Faces First Commons Questions Over Tax and Spending Plans
×