The Latest: Britain meets target on jabs for over-50s

LONDON — Britain says it has hit its target of giving at least one dose of vaccine to everyone over 50 and others in groups at highest risk from the coronavirus by mid-April.

The government says everyone in those groups has been offered a jab, and about 95% of eligible people have received a shot.

More than 32 million people, over 60% of adults, have had a first shot and almost 15% of people in the U.K. have had both doses.

On Tuesday the vaccination drive was expanded to people aged 45-49, the start of the second phase of the inoculation campaign.

Britain has had Europe’s worst coronavirus outbreak, with more than 127,000 confirmed deaths. But rapid vaccination, and a nationwide lockdown have sharply decreased infections and deaths.

Lockdown restrictions are now being lifted, with nonessential shops, hairdressers, gyms and pub and restaurant patios reopening in England on Monday.

Health authorities are also concerned about new variants that are more resistant to the vaccines. They are calling for everyone living in two boroughs in south London to get tested after 44 cases of a strain first identified in South Africa were confirmed there.

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— Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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