GIBRALTAR has become the ‘first nation in the world’ to fully vaccinate its entire adult population against Covid. Matt Hancock revealed that the British territory hit the impressive milestone on Wednesday in the fight against the killer bug. The British overseas territory, with a population of just 33,701 residents, had its Covid vaccines supplied by […]
GIBRALTAR has become the ‘first nation in the world’ to fully vaccinate its entire adult population against Covid.
Matt Hancock revealed that the British territory hit the impressive milestone on Wednesday in the fight against the killer bug.
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The British overseas territory, with a population of just 33,701 residents, had its Covid vaccines supplied by the UK government and delivered by the RAF.
Speaking in the House of Commons, the Health Secretary said he was “delighted to be able to tell the house that yesterday Gibraltar became the first nation in the world to complete its entire adult vaccination programme”.
Gibraltar First Minister Fabian Picardo said: “The loyalty of the People of Gibraltar to the Crown of the United Kingdom has never and will never be in doubt.
“In these harrowing and difficult times, our deep loyalty has been recognised and repaid.
“The United Kingdom has played a blinder on vaccinations and we have been among the beneficiaries in the British family of nations.”
Speaking in the Gibraltar Parliament, he added: “We are all now vaccinated or on the way to being vaccinated – but we are not out of the woods yet.”
He said people should continue sticking to coronavirus restrictions in the country, despite vaccine success.
Mr Hancock added: “Throughout the crisis, we have provided Gibraltar with PPE, testing and a sovereign guarantee for their Covid spending.
“We have also provided Gibraltar with vaccines, as we have with all other British overseas territories.”
In total, Gibraltar has seen 4,270 cases of Covid, as well as 94 deaths.
Meanwhile, coronavirus deaths in the UK have HALVED in a week – with 95 fatalities and 6,303 cases being recorded in the last 24 hours.
Today’s figures are significantly lower than last Thursday’s 181 deaths and 6,753 cases.
It means a total of 4,280,882 have tested positive for the bug in Britain since the start of the pandemic, while 125,926 have died.
Yesterday, another 5,758 new cases of the bug were confirmed – down 54 per cent on the 12,718 recorded four weeks ago.
Meanwhile, the UK’s vaccine rollout continues to go from strength to strength, with all over 50s now being told to book their jabs online.
Almost 26 million Brits have now received their first jab, while more than 1.8 million have been given their second dose.
By the weekend, one in two in this country are expected to have been protected against the virus as the immunisation blitz ramps up.
The Prime Minister is getting his jab tomorrow – as he revealed that he will be receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.
A total of 18 European nations have now paused use of the Oxford vaccine over unsubstantiated reports it triggers blood clots.
Brussels threatened to seize factories on the continent producing the jab.
But today the EU made a major U-turn on the suspension of the Oxford jab with its regulator saying it’s “safe and effective”.
Emer Cooke, executive director of the EMA, said their “clear scientific conclusion” is that the vaccine is “safe and effective”.
