People aged over 30 could be able to get their Covid vaccine sooner than expected, as a surge of 10 million extra doses could be available, it has been reported.
According to the i newspaper, figures have revealed the Scottish Government now has access to around 900,000 unused doses.
While the UK Government has refused to give data on its Covid vaccine supply so far, the figure from Scotland indicates the total across Britain could be up to 10 million.
This would mean the number of second doses being given can be increased without having to slow the rate for first doses, the i reports.
In the plan, the above 30 age group would be vaccinated towards the end of April, Mirror Online reports.
From next week a big boost in supply will see a "rapid increase" in the number of people getting vaccinated after a "dip" at the end of February, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said yesterday, March 10.
He added there was to be a "big uplift" in supply in the coming weeks which will see a surge in people receiving their first dose and many of the highest risk groups getting their second jab.
He said the ultimate aim was to get 95 percent of British adults vaccinated and the offer of a jab was "evergreen" for people who had not yet accepted their invitation.
So far 24,064,182 jabs have been given in the UK, including 1.2 million second doses.
Mr Zahawi told the Women and Equalities House of Commons Committee that until now "supply has been finite" but he was "expecting tens of millions of doses to come through".
He added: "In the second half of March you will see a big uplift in supply.
"Up until now supply has been finite. We've had good volumes but when your supply is finite you have to try and make sure that each region gets enough doses to do the cohort target.
"So when we were focused on (priority groups) one to four by the middle of February, we have to make sure that each region have that vaccine available to them.
"Now obviously as we see more - and I'm expecting tens of millions of doses to come through - that becomes a little bit easier which allows us, for example, to double the number of pharmacies that will come online for delivery (from 200 to 400).
"The whole country will see a rapid increase in the number of people getting their first dose and getting protected whilst obviously we do second dosing at the same time."
Mr Zahawi said that an estimated 94 per cent of the UK adult population had said they were likely or very likely to take up the coronavirus vaccine.
He said: "When I took this job on back in mid-November, I think if you look at the ONS data or other published polls, vaccine positivity was in the high-70s, touching 80 per cent.
"It's now at 94 per cent of the UK adult population saying that they are likely or very likely to take the vaccine."
He added: "But in terms of uptake, this is the highest uptake I think in the history of vaccinations or any vaccine deployment in the United Kingdom."
He added that as each vaccination cohort progresses, efforts will be made to "recontact" those in the previous group who did not take up the offer of a jab.
"In terms of second chance for a jab, the offer is evergreen," he said.
"In the sense that even if you were hesitant or you didn't go first time around, the offer is always there for every cohort that is eligible."
He added that as more data becomes available on transmission, the "narrative" could change to encourage people to take up their jabs to protect their loved ones.
"As we get more and more positive data around the impact of the vaccination programme on transmission, I think that will also play into that narrative, 'You're doing it because you're going to protect your family, your friends, their family and your community'," he said.
"I think we also have to remember that we're only a third of the way (through) phase one.
"(We will) keep refreshing and flexing our messaging as we see the evidence emerging so that we do ultimately get to where we all want to get to - which is that sort of 94/95% of the adult population vaccinated."
