Britain records just ONE Covid death in lowest daily toll in nine months while 1,649 infections are the fewest since September - as UK hits 50million vaccine milestone and Matt Hancock says we'll have a 'great British summer'
- Around 34.6million Britons have had one dose and 15.4million – or 30% of all adults – are fully inoculated
- Department of Health chiefs have yet to provide the final daily vaccination figures for the entirety of the UK
- The roll-out – which is using coronavirus jabs from AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna – began last December
- Matt Hancock hailed the achievement, saying: 'These jabs are saving lives and helping us get back to normal'Britain recorded just one Covid death today in the lowest toll in nine months while infections dipped to their lowest levels since September.
Department of Health statistics showed this was only the third time fatalities had fallen to this level, after a single Covid victim was also recorded on August 30 and 3. There have only been no Covid deaths once since the pandemic began.
Health bosses also posted another 1,649 cases, down 20 per cent on the 2,064 registered last week.
Figures tend to be lower on a Monday because fewer people are available over the weekend to process paperwork to record a death. The number of death's registered is not the same as the number that have happened because it can take several days before each will show up in the statistics.
NHS England bosses revealed today that Britain has now dished out 50million Covid vaccines since the mass inoculation drive began in December.
They posted another 210,000 jabs, meaning 34.6million people across the UK have had their first dose, and 15.4million - or 30 per cent of all adults - are fully inoculated.
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock said promising figures suggested the UK would have a 'great British summer', as Boris Johnson said he could see no reason why the next relaxation on May 17 could not go ahead.
Responding to the NHS vaccinations, Mr Hancock hailed the 'massive' achievement, saying: 'These jabs are saving lives and helping us get back to normal. Thank you to everyone who has played their part in our national effort. When you get the call, get the jab.
'I want to pay tribute to everybody involved in this huge achievement – the NHS, armed forces, volunteers, councils, scientists & the British public. A huge national effort.'
Boris Johnson told reporters on a visit to Hartlepool that the results of the vaccination drive were 'really starting to show up in the epidemiology' as cases remained low despite further rules being relaxed on April 12.
'As things stand, and the way things are going, with the vaccine roll-out going the way that it is - we have done 50million jabs as I speak to you today, a quarter of the adult population, one in four, have had two jabs,' he said.
Despite the success of the vaccination roll-out coming alongside falling cases and deaths, ministers won't budge on speeding up lockdown-easing plans in England. Foreign holidays and being allowed in pubs are two measures that are meant to be on the cards for May 17.
The Prime Minister today poured cold water on holiday hopes, warning putting lots of countries on the travel 'green list' could risk an 'influx of disease'. His comments came hours after the EU unveiled plans to let vaccinated Brits in for summer trips.
Mr Johnson insisted the government will be 'cautious' amid bitter Cabinet wrangling over how far to loosen the border restrictions this month. Mr Hancock and chief medical officer Chris Whitty are said to be among those pushing for quarantine-free states to be kept to an absolute minimum.
On a pre-election visit to Hartlepool this afternoon, Mr Johnson also claimed there is a 'good chance' that current social distancing rules will be scrapped on June 21 – touted as England's independence day.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab yesterday hinted masks and social distancing measures would be needed beyond June 21. But the PM today said he hopes it will be possible to axe the existing one-metre plus rule when the nation reaches the final step in his lockdown exit roadmap.
His comments came as hospitality bosses said a return to unrestricted trading is 'critical' and will mean that pubs, bars and restaurants can 'come off life support'. Ditching the one-metre plus rule will allow hospitality venues as well as places like theatres to open at full capacity for the first time in more than a year.
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