THE over 40s could be vaccinated by the end of March but key workers still don’t have priority.

The next stage of the vaccine roll out is set to focus on age, rather than whether they are a vital staff member or not.

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Calls for key workers to be prioritised were rejectedCredit: PA:Press Association

Age brackets are expected to be wider than before, with 40 to 49-year-olds likely to have jabs in arms after the 32million in the top nine groups have received their first.

The Daily Mail reported that the over 40s could be sent for their vaccinations in less than five weeks.

The government roll out is expected to hit its current target as soon as March 24, if the daily average is maintained.

The Government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation decides the priority list.

A meeting was held yesterday to determine the next phase, with recommendations for the government expected to be signed off by members today.

They will be presented to ministers to approve at the start of next week.

It is believed that the committee rejected the idea of giving priority to key workers in favour of prioritising age approach.

This comes as coronavirus cases are back to levels seen before the pandemic’s second wave, fuelling hopes the lockdown could be eased sooner rather than later.

It comes as:

Figures published by Public Health England (PHE) today have also revealed that 99 per cent of areas have witnessed a drop in infections.

Data from NHS Test and Trace show that there has been a 29 per cent drop in positive Covid cases.

It accounts for the seven days up to February 10 and shows that 106,474 patients tested positive for the virus in England.

The number of people testing positive is now only nine per cent
higher than in the week ending 2 December 2020.

In January infections peaked and more than 300,000 people tested positive in a week.

However in October, before the second national coronavirus lockdown was introduced in November – weekly cases were at around 100,000 a week.

During this time the country was separated into a Tier system, with some areas still being allowed to mix with people outside their households in pubs and restaurants and for most people, gyms were still open.

PHE data released today shows that 147 of 149 local authorities saw a decline in cases per 100,000 people in the week to February 14.