One Million People In The UK Have Now Had Their Second Covid Vaccine Dose

More than one million people in the UK have received their second Covid vaccine dose.

A total of 1,034,068 second doses had been given by March 4, according to the latest figures from health agencies in the four nations.

Of those, 729,265 were given to people in England, along with 154,819 in Wales, 108,197 in Scotland and 41,787 in Northern Ireland.

Public Health England said on Friday that 21,358,815 people have now received at least one dose.

The cumulative number of second doses in the UK passed half a million on February 3, and started to pick up pace in the second half of last month, passing 800,000 on February 28 and 900,000 on March 3.

Speaking earlier this week, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said March would be a “very big month” for vaccinations.

“You have seen the numbers tick up of second doses – yesterday I think we were at 800,000 second doses,” he told the BBC on Monday.

“And in March you will see that number increase even more, because obviously those who had the first dose in January will be getting their second dose.

“The NHS have got all the protocols in place to deliver that, as well as of course continuing to do the first dose.

“March will be a very big month for us. We’ll probably going to be twice the rate over the next 10 weeks as we have done over the past 10 or 11 weeks.”

Vaccine manufacturers are working on updated vaccines to tackle variants, which could be fast-tracked for approval by the autumn.

On Friday 236 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported across the UK.

And scientists advising the government said the UK’s Covid R rate has risen to between 0.7 and 0.9.