UK Expands Vaccine Eligibility to Those in Their 70s... "Teachers and Police Also Under Additional Review"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The UK government announced that it will expand the COVID-19 vaccination eligibility from those aged 80 and above to those aged 70 and above. The UK government has vaccinated approximately 3.8 million people so far and plans to gradually expand the vaccination target groups in stages.

According to local UK media such as the BBC on the 18th (local time), the UK government stated that starting this week, it will extend the vaccination eligibility to elderly people aged 70 and above and medically vulnerable groups. Previously, on the 8th of last month, the UK government prioritized vaccinating nursing home residents and staff immediately after the vaccine rollout, then expanded to those aged 80 and above and healthcare workers. This time, vaccination will begin for the third priority group, which includes about 14 million people aged 70 and above and medically vulnerable groups.

The UK government considers that vaccination for nursing home residents and those aged 80 and above has been sufficiently carried out and decided to initiate the vaccine program for the next priority groups. However, vaccination for nursing home residents and those aged 80 and above will still be prioritized. After completing vaccination for the priority groups, middle-aged adults aged 50 and above and people aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions will be the next targets for vaccination.

Nadhim Zahawi, the UK Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment, said in an interview with the BBC on the same day, "Since teachers, police officers, and shop workers have a higher risk of infection than the general adult population, we can consider prioritizing their vaccination." The UK government reports that about 3.8 million people have received their first dose of the vaccine so far. Health Secretary Matt Hancock added, "We are currently vaccinating 140 people every minute," and expressed gratitude to everyone participating in the national effort.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.