WIREDGOV

The NHS delivered the highest daily number of booster jabs on record yesterday (Tuesday) while bookings continue to surge, as the NHS COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues to expand.

A total of 611,976 jabs were reported yesterday, including a daily high of 548,039 booster vaccines.

The previous daily record was on Saturday (11 December) when 483,361 top-up doses were delivered.

Yesterday also saw more than 630,000 booster jabs booked through the online booking service –  the highest number for any Tuesday on record.

Since the online service opened to every eligible adult 18 and over this morning, 150,000 booster bookings were already made before 9am this morning.

Around two million invitations were sent to eligible adults at the start of the week, encouraging people to come forward for their booster, with millions more invites going out in the coming days.

Thousands of volunteers and paid staff are also being recruited to support the delivery of the vaccine programme, and anyone interested in helping the NHS is being urged to search ‘COVID Vaccine team’ to find out more.

Dr Emily Lawson, Director of the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination programme, said: “NHS staff are once again pulling out all the stops to accelerate the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination programme, the biggest and most successful in health service history, and these figures show just how hard we are all working to get lifesaving jabs in arms.

“We need everyone to play their part in the national mission to protect the country and the public can help by booking their jab online to avoid disappointment – just like 630,000 people did yesterday.

“The data clearly shows that getting boosted gives maximum protection against the new variant so please book your slot online as soon as possible and guarantee your vital jab”.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “A record 548,039 booster vaccines were administered yesterday as we ramp up our vaccination programme and bolster our defences against the virus.

“Thank you to everyone playing their part – from the 24 million people who have come forward to get boosted now, to the wonderful NHS and vaccine volunteers getting jabs in arms.

“This is a national mission and we want to stay ahead in the race with this virus, so roll up your sleeves and get protected”.

The NHS has set out plans to accelerate the booster programme, which includes opening extra pop-up vaccination centres and extending opening hours to offer more jabs to more people.

Vaccination sites have been asked to operate 12 hours a day, seven days a week wherever possible and in every community, there should be slots available at least 16 hours a day.

Local NHS teams will also work with local authorities, the voluntary and community sector, to prioritise delivery and make it as easy as possible for people to get their top up protection, as well as redeploying admin and clinical staff to support with vaccinations.

Since making history delivering the first COVID-19 vaccine outside of clinical trials in December 2020, Maggie Keenan received the first approved jab in the world and the NHS has now administered over 100 million jabs.