The government must hasten the rollout of the vaccine among care and health workers

Editorial: According to Matt Hancock, a third of social care staff are not yet vaccinated – now is not the time for complacency

The Oxford vaccine administered in Chester (AFP/Getty)

In the 10 weeks or so since Britain became the first country in the world to approve a Covid-19 vaccine, some 15 million people have received their vital first jab.

The nation is well on its way to protecting the most vulnerable groups and there are encouraging signs that all over-50s who want a jab will have been offered the opportunity by the end of March.

The stock market and Tory spin doctors have perked up on the news. This rare “world-beating” performance has proved a remarkable tonic for Boris Johnson’s popularity. He shouldn’t, obviously, claim too large a slice of the credit for this victory, but it may be too much for him and his ministers to resist.