Coronavirus: Army brought in to deliver vaccines

The Government plans to vaccinate 14 million people in the top four priority groups by the middle of February, it was announced during a public address today by prime minister Boris Johnson.

More than 1.5 million people across the UK have now had their first vaccine dose, the PM said. 

Also taking the podium was Brigadier Phil Prosser of the British Army, who said: "My team is embedded with the NHS... we are one team.

"(The army is) adding to what is already an extremely high performance team. Our mission is to support the NHS to deliver the maximum amount of vaccines to minimise the amount of deaths.

"We need to make sure each one of you has equal access to the vaccine no matter where you are.

"Our aim is to deliver operational excellence, using tried and tested techniques seen in the UK and abroad, to ensure targets are met.

"A vaccination programme of this scale is unprecedented.

"Where required we have 21 quick response vaccination force teams able to deliver vaccinations where they are needed."

Joint chief executive of NHS England, Sir Simon Stevens, said there has been an increase of 10,000 patients with coronavirus since Christmas Day – the equivalent of filling 20 acute hospitals - 50 per cent more than at the peak of the virus April.

He said most of these people will have caught the infection between Christmas and New Year and the number of patients was “increasing very, very rapidly”.

Sir Simon praised the “strong start” the NHS had made to the vaccination programme but said there “was no room for complacency”.

He said the plan for the next 39 days was to expand the supply of vaccines that can be administered, get more places doing the vaccinations and expand partnerships to “get the job done.”

"The pressures are real - the message from everybody in the NHS is that we must do everything necessary to control the spread," he said.

A new national booking service will soon make it easier to book the jab.

More follows.