More than half of Britain’s over-80s have now been given a coronavirus vaccine, the Health Secretary has confirmed.

Matt Hancock tweeted: ‘I’m delighted that over half of all over-80s have been vaccinated.’

The latest government data shows that some 3,559,179 people had been given a first jab, with 447,261 also receiving a second dose, as of Friday.

Mr Hancock added: ‘Each jab brings us one step closer to normal. Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.’

It comes amid a series of encouraging updates on the progress of the UK’s vaccination rollout.

Earlier today, the Government said it ‘should’ be able to offer all over-18s a jab by September, while 10 mass vaccination centres are set to be opened on Monday.

And Mr Hancock claimed today that the UK is ‘nearly in the home straight’ after administering 324,000 doses in 24 hours.

A French company is said to be days away from producing a fourth Covid vaccine in the UK, though the jab is unlikely to be available before July at the very earliest.

Meanwhile, Government sources dismissed as speculation reports in the Sunday Telegraph that every adult in Britain could be vaccinated by the end of June.

This is a breaking story – more to follow.

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