As-it-happened: Second jabs so important - Hancock - BBC News
The health secretary urges everyone to get vaccinated on 19 May, as UK cases of the Indian variant reach almost 3,000.
UK has done more than any other nation to help vaccinate the world's poorest - Hancock

Hancock says the UK has "probably done more than any other nation to help vaccinate the world poorest". That is "thanks to the gift to the world of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine" which the UK makes available to other countries at cost, he says. Almost 1.5bn vaccine doses have now been given across the world and 400m of those have been the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, which has now been delivered in 160 countries. Two thirds of the 400m doses have gone to low and middle income countries, including 170m in India "where they've been obviously so badly affected by this virus", he says. We have donated £0.5bn to Covax which has delivered vaccines in over 120 countries, he says. Of the 67m jabs delivered through Covax over 65m have been the AZ vaccine, he says. "This vaccination programme is something every British taxpayer has had a part in supporting and everyone in the United Kingdom should be incredibly proud of it," he says.