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* UK targets 14 million shots by mid-Feb, every adult by
autumn
* New variant causing a surge in cases
* Health Secretary will not speculate on even tougher
restrictions
(Adds further details on tests, further lockdown measures)
By Paul Sandle
LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Britain is on course to have
immunised its most vulnerable people against COVID-19 by
mid-February and offering a shot to every adult by autumn, with
some 2 million people having already received a first dose, its
health secretary said on Sunday.
"Over the last week we've vaccinated more people than in the
entirety of December, so we're accelerating the roll-out," Matt
Hancock told BBC TV.
Britain is battling surging infections but is pinning its
hopes on rapid immunisation to enable life to start returning to
some degree of normality by the spring.
Hancock said around 2 million people had already received a
first shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Oxford-AstraZeneca
vaccine.
"We've now vaccinated around a third of all of the over 80s,
so (we are making) very, very good progress," he said.
For the government to meet its goal of vaccinating more than
14 million people by mid-February, comprising the over-70s, the
clinically vulnerable - the elderly or with pre-existing
conditions - and health and social-care workers, it needs to
deliver 2 million shots a week.
The current rate is around 200,000 a day, Hancock said.
Seven mass vaccination centres will open this week,
supplementing almost 1,000 doctors surgeries and hospitals
offering shots. Hancock said every adult would be offered a
vaccine by the autumn.
Queen Elizabeth and her husband Philip, both in their
nineties, have received vaccinations, Buckingham Palace said on
Saturday.
SURGING CASES
A highly transmissible new variant of the virus is surging
around Britain and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed a
third national lockdown in England to try to stem the pandemic
before the most vulnerable are immunised. Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland have imposed similar measures.
More than 80,000 people in Britain have died within 28 days
of receiving a positive COVID-19 test, the fifth highest
official death toll globally, and over 3 million people have
tested positive.
England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said on Sunday
the national health service in parts of the country was facing
"the most difficult situation anyone could remember".
Hancock did not rule out a tougher lockdown, saying he would
"not speculate" on further restrictions, although he added that
the "vast majority" of people were complying with current rules.
(
Editing by Mark Heinrich and Frances Kerry)
