Almost 14 million people could receive a Covid vaccine by the middle of February, it has been announced.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said tonight that officials were hoping for all people in the top four priority groups to have received a jab in the coming weeks.
And speaking afterwards, vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi said the NHS “family will come together” to get 13.9 million doses administered by the middle of February.
In a tweet tonight, he said: "We can do this. The NHS family will come together and we will do this."
Speaking from Downing Street, Mr Johnson outlined the NHS’s “realistic expectations” for the vaccination programme in the weeks ahead.
He said: “By the middle of February, if things go well and with a fair wind in our sails, we expect to have offered the first vaccine dose to everyone in the four top priority groups identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.”
In theory, this means that all people over the age of 70 should expect to have an inoculation soon, as well as healthcare staff and others who are vulnerable.
Top of the priority list are people living or working in care homes.
After this are people over the age of 80 and front-line health and social care workers – including NHS staff.
Next on the list are people over the age 75.
The fourth group are people aged 70 and those classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.
This last group – who are the same as those who have been advised to shield – includes people such as cancer patients and organ transplant recipients.
Speaking of these groups, Mr Johnson said: “If we succeed in vaccinating all those groups, we will have removed huge numbers of people from the path of the virus.
“And, of course, that will eventually enable us to lift many of the restrictions we’ve endured for so long.”
The information comes on the same day that the first patients received the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, which is now being handed out alongside the Pfizer vaccine.
The Prime Minister said the existence of the vaccines are the “one huge difference” in fighting the pandemic today compared to last year.
“We’re now rolling out the biggest vaccination programme in our history,” he added.
Hospitality businesses have also vowed to help with the rollout - offering spaces which are currently unused due to closures.
As well as calling for more grants as premises remain shuttered, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said businesses are “keen to repay the support shown to us”.
She said: “Our sector is sitting on well-ventilated, Covid-secure spaces such as hotels, conference centres, pubs and restaurants which can be used and businesses are already coming forward to offer locations to expedite a mass vaccination programme.”
