Sir Simon Stevens: All over-18s in England will be able to book Covid vaccine ‘by end of this week’

A top NHS chief has revealed that all over-18s should be able to book their Covid vaccine “by the end of this week” to finish the job of the jab rollout.

Sir Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS in England, told the NHS Confederation annual conference: “It is now very important that we use the next four weeks to finish the job to the greatest extent possible for the Covid vaccination programme, which has been a historic signature achievement in terms of the effectiveness of delivering by the NHS – over 60 million doses now administered.

“By July 19 we aim to have offered perhaps two thirds of adults across the country double jabs.

“And we’re making great strides also in extending the offer to all adults – today people aged 23 and 24 are able to vaccinate through the National Booking Service.

“I expect that by the end of this week, we’ll be able to open up the National Booking Service to all adults age 18 and above.

“Of course, vaccine supply continues to be constrained, so we’re pacing ourselves at precisely the rate of which we’re getting that extra vaccine supply between now and July 19.”

He spoke of the need for young people to come forward as the age profile of those in hospital with the virus has “flipped” towards the young after the vast majority of over-65s received their two jabs.

He added: “At the moment about 1 per cent of hospital beds in England are occupied by patients with a Covid diagnosis and the age distribution has really flipped as a result of vaccination.

“Back in January, it was 60/40 – 60 per cent of beds occupied by people over 65, 40% (occupied by people) under 65.

“Now it’s flipped to 30/70, so it’s about 30 per cent occupied by people aged 65 and over 70 per cent by younger people whose prospects are much greater.”

His announcement came the day after Boris Johnson announced that Freedom Day in England would be delayed for at least four weeks as the Delta variant sweeps across the country.

“I think it is sensible to wait just a little longer,” Mr Johnson told a news conference on Monday evening. “As things stand, and on the evidence that I can see right now, I’m confident that we will not need more than four weeks.”

Announcing the delay, he said the government was “so concerned” by the Delta variant that is “now spreading faster than the third wave predicted in the February roadmap”.

“We’re seeing cases growing by about 64 per cent per week, and in the worst affected areas, it’s doubling every week,” he added.

Read More

Artificial pancreas devices to help 1,000 people with diabetes

Jab bookings for over-18s ‘by the end of the week’

Something ‘unprecedented’ would need to happen to delay July 19 reopening – Gove