COVID-19 vaccination in England opens to all over 30s
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About one million people aged 30 and 31 will get a text message in coming days asking them to come forward for their Covid vaccine.
UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock praised the "phenomenal pace" of the vaccination programme.
Health officials have sped up the timetable to offer second jabs in a bid to ensure that those at highest risk are protected from the variant of the virus first identified in India.
At the same time, the programmes are extending to younger age groups to try and mitigate risk.
Hancock said: "Our vaccination programme is moving at such a phenomenal pace and I am delighted that less than six months after Margaret Keenan received the first authorised jab in the world, we are now able to open the offer to everyone in their 30s and over.
"The vaccine is our way out of this pandemic and recent data has shown the life-saving protection (that) a second dose of the jab can give, especially against the new variant.
"I urge everyone to come forward when you get the offer and play a part in getting us back to normality." ■