More than 85 million COVID vaccines administered across the UK, reports DHSC

A total of 85,196,986 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the UK according to the latest figures, with 46,851,145 people receiving a first dose (88.6%) and 38,345,841 people receiving both doses (72.5%).

Data from Public Health England (PHE) shows COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against hospitalisation from the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant. The analysis shows the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is 96% effective and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is 92% effective against hospitalisation after two doses.

Data from PHE and Cambridge University demonstrates that around 60,000 deaths, 22 million infections and 52,600 hospitalisations have been prevented by vaccines up to 23 July.

The UK has met Prime Minister Boris Johnson's target ahead of schedule to vaccinate two thirds of adults in the UK with both doses and to offer a first dose to all adults by 19 July. All adults in the UK are able to get their second doses after eight weeks, meaning every adult has the chance to have two doses by mid-September.

The UK’s medicine’s regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), was the first in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines.

YouGov polling shows the UK continues to be one of the top nations where people are willing to have a COVID-19 vaccine or have already been vaccinated, with ONS data published on 2 July showing that more than nine in ten (96%) adults reported positive sentiment towards the vaccine.