The NHS continues to ramp up the nation’s defences with 739,867 doses reported on Thursday and 740,775 on Friday, in England.

Dr Emily Lawson, director of the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme in England, said: “Hitting two record booster days in a row just shows how hard NHS staff and volunteers are working to protect the nation as the new Covid variant Omicron spreads, with nearly three quarters of a million boosters reported on each of Thursday and Friday, and more than 800,000 total jabs each day, also breaking records.

“People across the country are also rising to the challenge – and we want to continue to see this enthusiasm. My message to you is get boosted now and with some sites busy the best way to guarantee your jab is to book in advance. The data is clear: getting a booster gives us all maximum protection”.