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More than 66,900 hospital admissions prevented by vaccine rollout, says PHE

More than 66,900 hospital admissions are estimated to have been prevented by the coronavirus vaccine rollout in England.

The new figure – up by more than 14,000 on the previous estimate – came as the new boss of NHS England urged young people to have their jab amid a warning that more than a fifth of those admitted to hospital with Covid-19 are aged between 18 and 34.

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said there are more than 5,000 people “seriously ill” in hospital with Covid, adding that “more than a fifth of those admitted are young people”.

According to figures from Public Health England (PHE) on Thursday, the vaccine rollout in England is estimated to have directly averted more than 66,900 hospital admissions.

Adults in England who have received one dose of Covid-19 vaccine
(PA Graphics)

Previous estimates had put the figure at more than 52,600 admissions.

Between 21.3 and 22.9 million infections and between 57,500 and 62,700 deaths are estimated to have been prevented. These figures have not changed since previous estimates.

Ms Pritchard said there is “no doubt” the jabs rollout is having a “major impact” in keeping people out of hospital and saving lives.

NHS England said patients aged 18-34 made up more than 20% of those admitted to hospital last month, up from close to one in 20 – 5.4% – at the peak of the winter wave in January.

Ms Pritchard, who took up her new role this week, paid tribute to the efforts of health service staff as she visited a vaccination clinic in Reigate, Surrey, on Wednesday.

Amanda Pritchard urged young people to take up the offer of a jab (Yui Mok/PA)
Amanda Pritchard urged young people to take up the offer of a jab (Yui Mok/PA)

She said: “Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff and volunteers, almost nine in 10 adults have had their first Covid-19 vaccination and more than 32 million have now had both jabs as part of the biggest and most successful vaccination drive in health service history.”

She added: “We must not forget that there are more than 5,000 people who are seriously ill in hospital with Covid, and more than a fifth of those admitted are young people.”

She urged people to “not delay sorting your jab”, saying the NHS is making it “as easy as possible to protect yourself, your family and your friends”, with pop-up clinics and walk-in sites bolstering the 1,600 permanent sites already in place.

Ms Pritchard told the BBC that about 1,000 young adults are “really unwell” in hospital.

Covid-19 case rates in England among all age groups are continuing to drop but the highest rate is among 20 to 29-year-olds, followed by 10 to 19-year-olds, PHE said.

Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said his children are “very keen” to have a coronavirus vaccination.

It was announced on Wednesday that the jabs rollout is being extended to 16 and 17-year-olds, with first doses expected to be offered this month.

Adults in England who have received one dose of Covid-19 vaccine
(PA Graphics)

Asked by Sky News if he would be happy for his teenage twins to have the jab, he said: “Yes, absolutely.

“They are very keen to be vaccinated as well. They are in that age group, the 16 to 17 age group, and it is amazing, particularly towards the end of term, how many of their friends had coronavirus and how much time they had to spend off school.

“So they understand the disruption, the amount of their own lives, their own schooling, that has been affected by this and they are very, very keen.”

On whether 12 to 15-year-olds will be offered a Covid vaccination, Mr Shapps said: “We will wait for the experts from the JCVI to tell us when it is safe.”

England’s deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, said extending the rollout to that age group has not been ruled out.