COVID-19: More than 10 million vaccine doses administered in UK - as deaths rise by 1,449

The number of COVID vaccine jabs given in the UK has now passed 10 million, government figures show.

A total of 9,646,715 were first doses, while 496,796 were second doses.

Meanwhile, the UK has recorded another 1,449 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours - yesterday this number was 406.

A further 16,840 daily cases have also been confirmed.

The number of people who have now died within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test is 108,013.

A total of 3,852,623 infections have now been recorded in the UK since the start of the pandemic.

Two approved vaccines - by AstraZeneca and Pfizer - are being rolled out to people considered most at risk from coronavirus.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he is confident the UK will have enough supplies to hit its target of offering the four most vulnerable groups - totalling 15 million people - a jab by 15 February.

Mr Hancock told the Commons earlier today: "We've now protected almost nine out of every 10 people over 80 and half of people in their 70s, and I'm delighted that we've been able to visit every eligible care home, 10,307 in total."

He added: "We now have over 400 million doses of vaccine on order, including the additional 40 million doses from Valneva that we ordered yesterday."

It comes as new research claimed delaying the second dose of the Pfizer jab - the current government strategy - may leave some elderly patients at risk of infection by the South African variant.

Lab tests by scientists at Cambridge University showed that one dose of the vaccine may not stimulate the immune system to produce enough antibodies to kill the virus.