Two-week pause for vaccine rollout

Health minister says giving out first doses would leave stocks short

Giving those waiting for a first dose of coronavirus vaccine a jab in the next two weeks would leave stocks short.

That's from the health minister as the vaccination rollout pauses for a fortnight from Monday.

No further second doses are due to be administered until 14 June.

But David Ashford says this time couldn't have been used to give injections to those still waiting for their initial dose:

Government says bringing second doses forward to fill the two week gap would have required 18,000 appointments to be rescheduled, a task deemed 'near impossible'.

There were fears it would also have lead to some people missing their allocated time.