Health Secretary Sajid Javid, making his first Commons appearance in his new role, has told MPs that “there remains a big task ahead of us to restore our freedoms."
He went on to say that his "task is to help return the economic and cultural life that makes this country so great while of course protecting life and our NHS."
Former chancellor of the exchequer Sajid Javid after he was appointed as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Jonathan Brady
"Our aim is that around two-thirds of all adults in this country will have had both doses by 19 July.
"We’re bringing forward second doses and bringing forward our target for first doses too so we can meet that 19 July goal.
"Vaccine uptake remains sky-high. We’ve seen that age is no barrier for enthusiasm for getting the jab. As of this weekend, more than half of adults under 30 have taken up the chance to be vaccinated including in the last couple of weeks all three of my own adult children."
Sajid Javid also praised his predecessor Matt Hancock, telling MPs:
"He worked hard throughout all these testing times.
Sajid Javid praised the work of Matt Hancock.
Stefan Rousseau
"He has achieved a great amount in the work that he did and I know he will have more to offer in public life – and I wish him the very best."
Sajid Javid highlighted the difficulties posed by the Delta variant, first identified in India, and said the Government is using the four-week delay in easing restrictions in England to "protect as many people as we can."
He told the Commons:
"When the Government took that decision on June 14, over 4.3 million over-40s had had a first dose but not a second."
"Now that’s down to 3.2 million people over 40. We can all be assured by how many more people are getting the life-saving opportunity that the vaccine offers."
Mr Javid said the vaccines were working, including against the Delta variant.
"The latest modelling from PHE shows that they have saved over 27,000 lives and have prevented over seven million people from getting Covid-19."
"Two doses of the vaccine are just as effective against hospital admission with the Delta variant compared to the Alpha variant.”
He went on to say, "while cases now are ticking up, the number of deaths remains mercifully low."