Covid vaccine: UK passes 25 million coronavirus vaccinations

More than 25 million people in the UK have now been vaccinated for coronavirus, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said.

Matt Hancock said it means the government is "ahead of schedule" in its target to vaccinate all those in the top nine priority groups by April 15.

Official figures show 25,273,226 people have had their first doses of either the Pfizer or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines.

At least 1,759,445 of those people have had their second dose.

Nine in 10 of those most likely to die from coronavirus, the clinically extremely vulnerable, have now received their first jab.

DHSC said almost half the entire adult population have now had a first dose and will "soon develop strong protection from serious illness", which will mean "countless lives" are saved.

• Boris Johnson reveals he's getting Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine 'very shortly' after EU countries pause rollout

• Covid: EU threatens to halt vaccine exports to UK and other countries with high vaccination rates

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “This latest milestone is an incredible achievement - representing 25 million reasons to be confident for the future as we cautiously reopen society."

Around 95% of people aged 65 and over have had their first dose, with England now moving to vaccinate over-50s.

"We’re ahead of schedule to offer a first dose to all in these groups by the 15 April and I urge everybody eligible to come forward," Health Secretary Hancock said.

Earlier, 56-year-old Prime Minister Johnson revealed the NHS had been in touch to book his first vaccine appointment, which he said he would be receiving "very shortly".

DHSC said it expected the UK have vaccinated more than half of the entire adult population by the end of the week.