The NHS has begun inviting patients aged 60-63 for their first Covid-19 jab, as the vaccination programme continues to expand.
NHS England said 1.9 million letters have started arriving at the homes of patients in this group, and that they can arrange their vaccination through the national booking service.
This comes as people aged 64 were invited for the jab last week.
NHS England reports that nine in 10 people aged 65 and over have now received their first dose, and overall, more than 17 million people have been vaccinated across England so far.
Also, four in five people aged 65 to 69 have been vaccinated against Covid, according to NHS England.
NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said the NHS has made ‘extraordinary progress’ in vaccinating more than 17 million people across the country.
He added: ‘It is down to the hard work of NHS staff, volunteers and all the others supporting the vaccination programme, that we can now invite everyone aged 60 to 63 years old to arrange an appointment to get jabbed as soon as possible.’
The Government recently announced that it is aiming for all adults in the UK to have been offered their first Covid jab by the end of July – bringing this deadline forward from the end of September.
On Friday (26 February), the Government said phase two of the Covid vaccination programme will not prioritise key workers but continue in age order, starting with those aged 40-49.
Also, the revaccination campaign is ‘likely to run later this year in autumn or winter’, and could become part of ‘core’ GP contractual work.
