UK hits the target of vaccinating 15 million against coronavirus in 10 weeks

As of 15^th February 2021, the UK government hit their target of vaccinating 15 million people – a huge step towards us regaining some normality in our lives.

The UK was the first country in the world back on 8^th December 2020 to vaccinate a person against coronavirus, meaning that in the 10 weeks since then and with the effort of the NHS, everyone in the top-four priority groups identified by the government has been vaccinated – a significant achievement.

Identified in the top-four priority groups were all health and social care workers, an extremely important group as the fight against coronavirus continues while the vaccine is being rolled out. At Aspiration Training, we are proud to be continuing to offer apprenticeships in the health and social care industry during this time.

The government has announced the next lot of priority groups will start to be vaccinated from now until April, including all adults above the age of 50, a group of people that equates for 17.2 million. Following from this, the government aims to have the rest of the adult population (21 million approx.) vaccinated by Autumn 2021.

These figures are only estimations of course, but with the first target of 15 million being met, there is a feeling of optimism surrounding the UK’s biggest vaccination programme in history.

Currently the vaccines being administrated are the Pfizer-BioNTech jab and the one developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, with each vaccine needing two separate injections a certain number of weeks apart.

A third vaccine, made by US company Moderna, has been approved for use in the UK but this is not expected to be ready for use until Spring – something that could further increase the speed of the UK’s vaccination programme when it is available.

While the UK isn’t out of the woods yet, the UK’s vaccination rate is the third highest in the world, something that is truly is worth shouting about.

You can read more on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine here

You can read more on the AstraZeneca vaccine here

Read more on the health and social care apprenticeships we offer