Six in 10 UK adults fully vaccinated against Covid-19, figures show
More than 82% of adults have also received their first dose.
Six in 10 adults in the UK are estimated to have received both doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, latest figures show.
A total of 31,740,115 second doses have now been delivered since the vaccination rollout began in December last year.
This is the equivalent of 60.3% of all people aged 18 and over.
Of the four nations of the UK, Wales has the highest proportion of adults fully vaccinated, with 61.6% having received both jabs (1,553,091 second doses).
England is just behind on 60.4% (26,745,666 second doses), followed by Scotland on 59.0% (2,617,450) and Northern Ireland on 56.7% (823,908 second doses).
Responding to the figures, which have been published by the UK’s four health agencies, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “Two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine are absolutely vital in ensuring the fullest possible protection the jabs have to offer – it’s extraordinary that three in five people have now been vaccinated with both jabs.
“No matter where you live, where you come from, your background or your beliefs – provided you are over 18, there is a vaccine available to you. I urge everyone eligible to get their jab and help us get back to normality.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “With more and more evidence emerging on just how effective two doses of our vaccines are in protecting against the Delta variant, it’s great to see three in five adults have been double jabbed, so we’re well on our way to the whole country getting the fullest possible protection.
“We’re so close now to ensuring the entire adult population is protected – now everyone aged 18 and above can make an appointment, so make sure you book in for your first and second doses as soon as possible.”
Recent analysis by Public Health England suggests that Covid-19 vaccines are highly effective against hospitalisation from the Delta variant of coronavirus after both doses, with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine 96% effective and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine 92% effective.
The latest figures also show that an estimated 82.5% of UK adults have now received a first dose of a vaccine.
Wales again leads the other nations, with 88.9% of adults estimated to have had a first jab, some way ahead of Scotland (83.0%), England (82.2%) and Northern Ireland (79.0%).
All adults in Wales have now been offered a first dose of a vaccine, according to the Welsh government.
The Government at Westminster has said it intends to offer a first dose to all adults in England by July 19.
The Scottish Government has said all adults will be booked in for their first dose of vaccine by June 27, while in Northern Ireland all adults have been able to book a first dose since May 27.
The total number of first doses in the UK reported on Wednesday – 43,448,680 – is up 299,837 on the total reported on Tuesday, but this includes 48 hours of data for England, not the usual 24 hours.
This is because no data was reported for England on Tuesday due to an IT issue that affected the processing of vaccinations, NHS England said.
The day-on-day increase in second dose vaccinations – 250,875 – also includes 48 hours of data for England.
