BMA ‘immensely proud’ of healthcare workers as ‘extraordinary’ vaccine milestone reached

The British Medical Association (BMA) said on Sunday night that it is ‘immensely proud’ of healthcare workers as ‘extraordinary’ vaccine milestone reached. Sunday's daily vaccination figures show 15,062,189 people across the UK, almost a quarter of the country’s population, have now received an initial vaccine dose - after 505,362 first jabs were given out on Saturday.

Responding to news, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said:

“Reaching the 15 million first dose target - ahead of time, and to be the first nation in the EU to do so - is an extraordinary achievement; we are immensely proud of every single healthcare worker across the country for their dedication and countless hours they have spent protecting patients against this dreadful virus.

“This milestone shows exactly what happens when clinicians are allowed to lead from the front, unhindered by unnecessary bureaucracy or red tape as they focus on delivering vaccines to patients, and this must continue as we look to the next phase of the rollout.

“As we widen the net on vaccine eligibility, it’s also vital that the Government is clear in its messaging to the public, which must be culturally competent so that we maximise uptake in areas of deprivation and in black and minority ethnic populations. We also need reassurance on sustained vaccine supplies, and urgent clarity on how mass vaccination centres will work alongside GP-led community sites and surgeries in order to prevent patient confusion and keep the momentum of this rollout going.

“Moving forward, the UK is ideally placed to assess the efficacy of the vaccine and its transmissibility, and it is important that the results of the Government’s surveillance are made known and which will inform decisions on easing lockdown and what levels of restrictions are necessary for vaccinated individuals.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the "extraordinary feat", reached just over two months after the first jab was given on 8 December.