Experts have predicted when they believe the UK could be back to normal as the vaccine rollout continues.
At the current rate, scientists think that all adults in the country could receive jabs by June with life returning somewhat to normal.
On Thursday, a top SAGE scientist predicted that Britain “will be more or less back to normal for the summer”.
According to Mirror Online, Andrew Hayward said the inoculation programme offered a key to easing the lockdown.
Figures tonight showed 10,490,487 people have received first doses.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Today we passed the threshold of one in five of the population who have been jabbed already.”
He added that the UK remains on track to complete jabs of the top four priority groups by February 15.
However, the government continues to enforce strict social distancing rules - warning that vaccinations take time to work, and the evidence of how much they prevent transmission of the virus is not yet clear.
Coronavirus cases continued to fall, with 20,634 recorded – down 26% on a rolling seven-day average. And 2,375 Covid-19 patients were admitted to hospital, down 23%.
The UK death toll rose by 915, down 17%, to 110,250.
Prof Hayward, professor of infectious disease epidemiology and inclusion health research at University College London, believed the increase in vaccinations will plot a path out of the shutdown.
He said: “Once the most vulnerable people, particularly those over-50 and those with chronic illnesses, are vaccinated then yes, I think we can see a significant return to normality.
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“I think what we’ll see is a phased opening up as vaccination levels increase. Then we’ll be more or less back to normal for the summer, I would imagine.”
However, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi fears coronavirus will go through unvaccinated groups “like wildfire”, amid concerns over take-up levels among ethnic minority communities.
A coronavirus mutation detected in Liverpool has been found in Preston and West Lancashire, with anyone feeling unwell advised to get a test.
