More than one million in England ‘have had only one Covid-19 shot’

Health service has urged people who have delayed getting their second dose to come forward

Nurse Salak Ali administers a vaccination booster injection to Miten Patel in north London on December 23, 2021. PA

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More than a million people in England have only had one Covid-19 vaccine dose, the National Health Service said as it encouraged people to come forward for their second shots.

Last week more than 200,000 second doses were given, NHS England said. Fifty-five per cent of those who received them had delayed it for five or more weeks after becoming eligible.

It is estimated that about 1.1 million adults in England have had their first dose only, even though they are now eligible for a second shot.

More than 40 million people have received both doses of the vaccine in England.

NHS England said that last week more than 65,000 people had their first Covid-19 shot.

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  Images of NHS workers displayed on hoardings outside a temporary field hospital at St George's Hospital in London. The UK declared 141,472 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, a sharp reduction from the more than 200,000 reported daily over the Christmas and New Year period. Reuters

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  Commuters wait to catch a London-bound train in Bracknell, Berkshire. Workers are returning to offices in the first full working week of 2022 even though guidance under England’s current plan B measures is to work from home. PA

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  No lateral flow tests are available at this pharmacy in Chertsey, Surrey. PA

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  A woman adds hearts to the National Covid Memorial Wall near St Thomas' Hospital in London. Getty Images

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  A shopper wearing a face covering browses clothes in a charity shop in north London. AFP

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  Ambulances parked outside the Royal London Hospital in east London. AFP

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  Fans show their coronavirus passes for checking outside Anfield stadium before the FA Cup tie between Liverpool and Shrewsbury Town, which the home side won 4-1. Reuters

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  People take part in the so-called Freedom Rally, an anti-vaccine demonstration organised by campaign group Scotland Against Lockdown, in Glasgow city centre. PA

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  Staff working at a Covid-19 intensive care unit at Kings College Hospital in south London. PA

“The offer of a Covid-19 jab in the NHS vaccination programme is evergreen and it is fantastic that we have now given two or more doses to 40 million people across England, including 205,000 last week alone," said Dr Emily Lawson, vaccination lead for the service.

“We know people are busy and over half of people put off having their second dose in the run-up to Christmas.

“NHS staff are making it as easy as possible for people to get the vaccine in their local communities and it’s never too late to get any of your doses of protection, whether it’s first, second or third.

“Vaccination continues to be our best protection against serious illness, so I encourage anybody who isn’t vaccinated or is still to get their second dose to come forward without delay to get the best protection on offer against coronavirus.”

“I am incredibly proud of our phenomenal vaccination programme, from NHS frontline staff and volunteers to the armed forces and British public, who have done everything they can to get jabs into arms as quickly as possible," said UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

“Every one of us has a part to play in the national mission to make sure we’re all protected.

“The offer of a vaccine will always be there – whether it’s your first dose, second dose or your booster. Please keep coming forward.”