The UK has reported a record-breaking daily vaccination number, as ministers confirm all older care home residents in England have received their first injection.

On Saturday 30th January, over 598,000 injections were administered, bringing the total number of people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine to nearly 9 million. The NHS also confirmed that all older residents in eligible care homes in England had received their first injection over the weekend (30th/31st January), a milestone, which the Prime Minister described as “crucial.”

Data from NHS England suggests that more than 10,000 care homes offering services for older people have been contacted about vaccines. All eligible residents have now been vaccinated, although there is a small number of homes that are waiting due to localised outbreaks. NHS authorities have confirmed that these homes will be visited by vaccinators as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.

Mr Johnson said that vaccines paved the way out of the crisis, but warned that there were still several difficult weeks ahead. The death toll is expected to continue to increase and the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 remains “dangerously high.”

The UK vaccine rollout is moving at pace and the government is currently on track to meet its target of immunising the top four priority groups outlined by the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) by the middle of February. This group includes all over 70s, care home residents, clinically extremely vulnerable individuals from other age groups and frontline health and social care workers. Once this group has been vaccinated, people in the subsequent priority groups will receive their invitation. This includes over 60s moving down through the age groups to eventually vaccinate all adults in the UK.

All care home residents in Northern Ireland have received their first vaccine. In Scotland, the first stage of the rollout, which targets over 80s, frontline health professionals and care home workers and residents, should be completed by the 5th February, and in Wales, 75% of care home residents had been vaccinated by Sunday 31st January.