Theresa May, 64, receives vaccination and tells public jab is ‘safe and helps to protect others’ 

by

Maybot gets first Covid shot! Ex-PM Theresa May, 64, receives vaccination and tells public jab is ‘safe, gives you protection and helps to protect others’

  • Theresa May, 64, has received her first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine today
  • She qualifies due to her age and the fact she was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes 
  • Comes amid fears the vaccine rollout has become a postcode lottery  

By Antony Thrower For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Former Prime Minister Theresa May has received her first dose of the Covid vaccine, as she urged others to have theirs when called upon.

The 64-year-old visited Swallowfield Surgery in Reading, Berkshire, for the injection, but did not say if she received the Pfizer or Oxford/AstraZeneca option.

She tweeted afterwards: ‘I just had my first Covid-19 jab.

‘It is safe, effective & painless. When it’s your turn, please #TakeTheVaccine. Only by protecting each other can we defeat this virus.

‘Thanks to all the brilliant researchers, volunteers, NHS & military personnel for their truly heroic efforts.’

Former Prime Minister Theresa May received her dose of the Covid vaccine today in Berkshire

The surgery posted on its feed: ‘Former Prime Minister Theresa May has her Covid jab from Dr Debbie Milligan from Swallowfield Surgery today.

‘She thanked GPs, surgery staff and volunteers.’

The ex-PM’s dose was right on cue as the NHS is currently vaccinating those aged 64 or older, the clinically vulnerable; people living or working in care homes; health and social care workers; and people eligible for carer’s allowance.

She also qualifies as she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2013.

It comes following fears the vaccine roll out has become a postcode lottery, with several areas in England, including London, said to have started offering jabs to people in their 50s with no underlying health issues such as diabetes or liver disease.

Yesterday ex-England and Barcelona striker Gary Lineker was given a dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca variety, later tweeting a picture of himself and his card.

Earlier today it was reported some regional NHS sites have started dishing out Covid jabs to healthy people in their twenties.

Gary Linker, 60, received his first dose of Covid vaccine yesterday, despite not being in the top six groups

Gary Linker, 60, received his first dose of Covid vaccine yesterday, despite not being in the top six groups 

Despite national guidance stating only the top six priority groups should currently be invited for the jab, there have been growing reports of younger Brits who don’t have underlying conditions and are not frontline NHS or social care staff receiving their first dose.

Examples have been most common in London, which is seeing the poorest uptake of anywhere in Britain, but there has also been anecdotal evidence of it happening in parts of Manchester, Scotland and Wales.

The Government says a further 345 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of today, bringing the UK total to 122,415.

The Government also said that, as of 9am on Friday, there had been a further 8,523 lab-confirmed cases in the UK.

It brings the total to 4,163,085.

Gavin Williamson claims Britain’s lagging Covid vaccination drive ISN’T down to lack of jabs 

Gavin Williamson has claimed coronavirus vaccine supply issues are not to blame for Britain’s roll-out suffering its worst slump in a month.

The Education Secretary insisted today there was ‘no problem’ with deliveries of doses and said ‘there will always be some days’ when uptake dips lower.

Figures show just 150,000 Covid vaccines jabs were dished out in the UK on Sunday, the worst daily output since the scheme began to pick up pace last month. And just 350,000 doses are being administered each day on average – the fewest since mid-January.

Despite the concerning trend – which scupper Britain’s hopes of being released from lockdown restrictions over the coming months, Mr Williamson said he had ‘every confidence’ the mammoth NHS operation would rebound back ‘very shortly’.

His comments contradicted his health counterpart Matt Hancock, who claimed yesterday that a supply shortage could lead to ‘quieter’ weeks ahead for Britain’s jab drive. 

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam — England’s deputy chief medical officer — also waded into the issue today, saying the dip was down to ‘supply fluctuations’. He added that making vaccines was likely brewing beer because not every batch yields the same amount. 

Pfizer yesterday insisted its vaccine deliveries are on track. The pharmaceutical giant – which manufactures one of the two vaccines being administered in Britain – told MailOnline there were ‘no supply challenges’ and deliveries were arriving as planned.

One of the main problems is thought to be lower than expected output at manufacturing sites in AstraZeneca’s supply chain on the continent.  

The British drugmaker, which manufactures Oxford University’s Covid jab, has told the European Union it will only be able to deliver less than half of its 180million contracted doses before summer. But it has insisted it is on track with UK deliveries.

Almost 18million Britons have already received a first dose of a Covid vaccine and Boris Johnson has put a successful jab roll-out at the heart of his lockdown-easing plan. As long as the operation continues successfully, all restrictions could be dropped in England by June 21, but any hiccups along the way could threaten that target.

The Government has pledged to offer first doses to all over-50s by April 15, with all remaining adults set to be reached by the end of July.