Matt Hancock on vaccinating the 'clinically vulnerable' first

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is due to address the nation today in the latest update on coronavirus, the UK’s vaccination programme and lockdown. Today the vaccination effort was extended to include those over the age of 70, with 3.8million people having already received their first vaccine.

Now Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi has said lockdown measures could begin to be eased from March.

Mr Zahawi said once millions of the most vulnerable are vaccinated with a first dose by the middle of February, it takes just a few weeks for their immune response to kick in and offer protection.

Mr Zahawi told Times Radio by the “first (or) second week of March” there should be “very clear evidence of a sort of a break in the correlation between infection rates and hospitalisation and obviously death”.

He added: “But of course, there are a lot of unknowns, we don’t know the impact on transmission of the vaccines yet.

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“There are lots of caveats on this so I don’t want to sort of over-promise and under-deliver on this.”

England is currently in the second week of its third national lockdown, with Britons urged to stay home and only leave for essential reasons.

Lockdown measures are constantly being reviewed with the latest data on coronavirus cases, deaths and hospitalizations provided by Public Health England.

On Sunday, January 17m 38,598 new cases and 671 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported across the UK.

What time is Matt Hancock speaking today?

Downing Street has not confirmed what time the Health Secretary will be addressing the nation.

Express.co.uk will update this page when more information is available.

The focus across the UK is on the vaccination effort, with expansion today to include those aged 70 and those who work in health and social care.

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We are working day and night to make sure everyone who is 70 and over, our health and social care workers, and the clinically extremely vulnerable are offered the vaccine by the middle of February and our NHS heroes are making huge strides in making this happen.

“This measure does not mean our focus on getting care homes, healthcare staff and those aged 80 and over vaccinated is wavering – it will remain our utmost priority over the coming weeks to reach the rest of these groups.”

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