UK Covid booster drive hits new record with 745,183 third vaccine shots in 24 hours

A record 745,183 booster and third doses of Covid-19 vaccine were reported in the UK on Wednesday, new figures show.

The previous record was 656,711 doses on Tuesday.

The number of booster vaccine shots and third doses delivered in the UK has now passed 25 million, with nearly 3.8 million in the past seven days.

The figures have been published by the UK's four health agencies.

More than 86,000 boosters and third doses were administered in London on Wednesday, bringing the total in the capital to 2,561,864. Around 80,000 were given out on Tuesday as the capital ramps up its booster programme.

It comes as the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said pregnant women should be regarded as a clinical risk group for Covid-19 and be given vaccines quickly.

The expert team advising the Government said there was “growing evidence showing that women who are pregnant are at increased risk of serious consequences from Covid-19”.

New data has been published showing that 34 women have died in the UK after acquiring Covid while pregnant.

Four newborn babies have also died where medics said the reason was Covid-19.

Women are around 50 per cent more likely to die with coronavirus than those who are pregnant and do not catch the virus, and most deaths have occurred in the unvaccinated.