UK coronavirus LIVE: Brits face third AstraZeneca vaccine as over-70s urged to contact NHS for jab

Almost one in four adults in the UK have had their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, Matt Hancock has said.

The Health Secretary speaking at a Downing Street press briefing after new data showed that coronavirus deaths in the UK had hit a six-week low. A further 333 fatalities and 14,104 infections were reported on Monday.

People over-70 who have not yet received their first dose have been asked to contact the NHS to arrange their jab.

On Monday it was reported that Britons could be required to have a third "booster" jab this year, after a major study found the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was less effective against the South African coronavirus variant.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi was forced to defend the vaccine after a new study in South Africa found it was not effective at preventing mild illness caused by the more infectious mutation.

Meanwhile, the public have said that they would rather Boris Johnson lead the pandemic response than Sir Keir Starmer, in an exclusive poll for The Evening Standard.

Watch: COVID-19 - Ignore 'scary headlines' about South Africa variant and get coronavirus vaccine, says Professor Jonathan Van-Tam