People in England aged 70 and over, as well as those listed as clinically extremely vulnerable, will begin receiving offers of a coronavirus vaccine this week.
Prime Minister BORIS JOHNSON said the move was a "significant milestone" in the nation's vaccination programme.
More than five million people - from priority groups three and four - will be invited to have the jab from Monday.
The UK has also now closed its travel corridors until at least 15 February to protect against "as yet unidentified new strains" of Covid19
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