What promises has the government made in the Covid vaccine delivery plan?

  • Video report by ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen

“Tens of millions” of people will be immunised against Covid by the spring as part of the largest vaccination programme in British history, the government has pledged.

Two million have already received a jab and, with three different vaccines now approved for use in the UK, there is hope that the end of the pandemic’s impact on the country is in sight.

With mass vaccination centres opening on Monday, the focus is now on ramping up the life-saving injections.

Here are the numbers - outlined in their vaccination plan released on Monday - that illustrate how the government intends to do that.

  • 2 million vaccinations each week by the end of January

  • 2,700 vaccination sites – including 206 active hospital sites, 50 vaccination centres, and around 1,200 local vaccination sites

  • All residents and staff in more than 10,000 care homes across the country will be offered a vaccine by the end of the month

  • 10 miles – the distance everyone in England will be from a vaccination site

  • 80,000 health professionals across vaccination sites

  • 200,000 volunteers for administrative support, to be contacted when needed

  • 15 February – first vaccine dose to be given to all those in top four priority groups by this date , which account for 88% of Covid-19 deaths

  • All nine high-risk groups to be vaccinated by spring

Vaccine deployment minister Nadhim Zahawi said people should be pleased at the progress being made in the roll-out of coronavirus vaccinations.

Making a statement on the matter, Mr Zahawi told the Commons: “There are many miles to go on this journey, but armed with this plan, our direction of travel is clear and we should be buoyed by the progress we are already making. "

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Mr Zahawi said: "As of today in England, 2.33 million vaccinations have been given, with 1.96 million receiving their first dose and 374,613 having already received both doses.

“We’re on track to deliver our commitment of offering a first vaccine to everyone in the most vulnerable groups by the middle of next month.

“Groups, it is worth reminding ourselves, that account for more than four out of every five fatalities from the Covid virus – or some 88% of deaths.”