Ministers have insisted the UK is on track to hit a target of offering a Covid-19 vaccine to almost 14 million people by the middle of next month. But questions remain about the supply of vaccines.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said there is evidence that public enthusiasm for the Covid-19 vaccine has “risen significantly”.
Government figures show that 2,286,572 people across the UK received the first dose of the jab between December 8 and January 10.
During Health Questions, in response to Labour MP Rachel Hopkins (Luton South), Mr Hancock told the Commons: “The good news is that, over the last month, we’ve seen that the proportion of people who are enthusiastic about taking the vaccine has risen significantly and the proportion of people who are hesitant has fallen.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock visits an NHS vaccination centre (Dominic Lipinski/PA)
NHS core staff could leave after coronavirus pandemic due to unsustainable workloads, MPs told NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson told MPs there had been a mismatch in the NHS between rising demand and its capacity for 10 years Joe Gammie, PA 12 January, 2021 12:15
Core staff could leave the NHS after the coronavirus crisis due to the unsustainable workloads they face, a committee of MPs has been warned.
NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said there had been a mismatch in the NHS between rising demand and its capacity for 10 years.
He told the Health and Social Care Select Committee that even before the pandemic, staff had been expected to work harder and harder to cope with this increase in demand.
Peak demand on hospitals might not be reached until “early to mid-February” amid fears “unsustainable” workloads could lead to staff leaving, MPs have been warned.
NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said it was “pretty clear” the Covid-19 infection rate was not going to go down as quickly as it did during the first wave because of the new strain.
He told the Health and Social Care Select Committee that this could push the peak of NHS demand back to February and lead to a higher level and longer period of pressure.
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Mr Hopson added: “We were hoping for a sharper peak that came sooner and shorter – so something, for example, where we saw the peak and started to crest it in mid-to-late January.