A cyclist wears a mask as he passes graffitti in London, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021 during England's third national lockdown since the coronavirus outbreak began. The U.K. is under an indefinite national lockdown to curb the spread of the new variant, with nonessential shops, gyms and hairdressers closed, and people being told to stay at home. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP
Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP
A cyclist wears a mask as he passes graffitti in London, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021 during England's third national lockdown since the coronavirus outbreak began. The U.K. is under an indefinite national lockdown to curb the spread of the new variant, with nonessential shops, gyms and hairdressers closed, and people being told to stay at home. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
(London) — Britain is expanding a coronavirus vaccination program that has seen almost 6 million people get the first of two doses — even as the country’s death toll in the pandemic approaches 100,000.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Sunday that three-quarters of the U.K.’s over-80s have received a vaccine shot.
He said three-quarters of nursing home residents have also had their first jab.
Almost 5.9 million doses of vaccine had been administered by Saturday.
Health officials aim to give first shots to 15 million people, including everyone over 70, by Feb. 15.
Britain’s vaccination campaign is a rare success in a country with Europe’s worst confirmed coronavirus outbreak.
The U.K. has recorded 97,329 virus deaths, the fifth highest in the world.
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