Vaccines have prevented 44,500 people being hospitalised with coronavirus, Nadhim Zahawi has said.
The vaccines minister hailed the rollout of the jabs, also revealing that they have saved 14,000 lives, according to government figures.
As part of a final push to get more adults vaccinated, Zahawi told a Downing Street media briefing: “Thanks to our vaccination programme, our incredible NHS, this country is getting a little bit safer every day.
“Whatever your age, whatever your background, the vaccine will protect you, it will protect your family and all the people that you care about.
“So please come forward and get both doses so we can take that final step on the road to recovery.”
The decision to delay the final easing of restrictions in England from June 21 to July 19 is also helping the NHS give more potentially vulnerable people their second vaccine dose, Zahawi added.
Two weeks ago, more than two million over-50s had not had a second dose of the jab - crucial to provide protection against the Delta variant.
But that number has been more than halved to 900,000, with some restrictions remaining in place.
Zahawi said: “Last week we took the difficult but I think essential decision to pause Step 4 in our road map for four weeks with a review of the data after two weeks – and we will absolutely have that review and share the data with the nation.
“This pause has saved thousands of lives and will continue to do so by allowing us to get more of the second doses into arms of those most vulnerable to Covid before the restrictions are eased further.”
He added: “We’re going to use these four weeks to give our NHS that bit more time so we can get those remaining jabs in arms of those who really do need them.”
The minister also hailed the government’s efforts at cutting vaccine hesitancy, particularly in ethnic minority communities.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show vaccine hesitancy halving amongst Black, Black British, Asian and Asian British people since February, Zahawi said.
But he stressed there is “much more to do” and that the government was “intensifying” efforts to get vaccines rolled out in places like Bolton where there is still some hesitancy.
“We’re honing in on areas where uptake is lower,” he said.
Government data up to June 22 show that of the 75,188,795 jabs given in the UK so far, 43,448,680 were first doses – a rise of 299,837 on the previous day.
Some 31,740,115 were second doses, an increase of 250,875.
The figures include all vaccinations reported by midnight on June 22, including those recorded on pen and paper by NHS England following an IT system crash.
The vaccines minister hailed the rollout of the jabs, also revealing that they have saved 14,000 lives, according to government figures.
As part of a final push to get more adults vaccinated, Zahawi told a Downing Street media briefing: “Thanks to our vaccination programme, our incredible NHS, this country is getting a little bit safer every day.
“Whatever your age, whatever your background, the vaccine will protect you, it will protect your family and all the people that you care about.
“So please come forward and get both doses so we can take that final step on the road to recovery.”
The decision to delay the final easing of restrictions in England from June 21 to July 19 is also helping the NHS give more potentially vulnerable people their second vaccine dose, Zahawi added.
Two weeks ago, more than two million over-50s had not had a second dose of the jab - crucial to provide protection against the Delta variant.
But that number has been more than halved to 900,000, with some restrictions remaining in place.
Zahawi said: “Last week we took the difficult but I think essential decision to pause Step 4 in our road map for four weeks with a review of the data after two weeks – and we will absolutely have that review and share the data with the nation.
“This pause has saved thousands of lives and will continue to do so by allowing us to get more of the second doses into arms of those most vulnerable to Covid before the restrictions are eased further.”
He added: “We’re going to use these four weeks to give our NHS that bit more time so we can get those remaining jabs in arms of those who really do need them.”
The minister also hailed the government’s efforts at cutting vaccine hesitancy, particularly in ethnic minority communities.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show vaccine hesitancy halving amongst Black, Black British, Asian and Asian British people since February, Zahawi said.
But he stressed there is “much more to do” and that the government was “intensifying” efforts to get vaccines rolled out in places like Bolton where there is still some hesitancy.
“We’re honing in on areas where uptake is lower,” he said.
Government data up to June 22 show that of the 75,188,795 jabs given in the UK so far, 43,448,680 were first doses – a rise of 299,837 on the previous day.
Some 31,740,115 were second doses, an increase of 250,875.
The figures include all vaccinations reported by midnight on June 22, including those recorded on pen and paper by NHS England following an IT system crash.
