Official figures later today are expected to confirm that the NHS has now offered the Covid-19 vaccine to residents at every eligible care home with older residents across the Midlands.

The small remainder have had their visits deferred by local directors of public health for safety reasons during a local outbreak. Those homes will be visited and jabbed as soon as NHS staff are allowed to do so.

While in a small number of cases a severe outbreak of Covid-19 will have prevented a team from visiting, any care home yet to be visited for a vaccination clinic is going to have one booked in as soon as it is deemed safe by local public health protection clinicians to do so. Vaccination staff are also returning to homes that have been covered to jab any resident who was unable to have it during the previous visit because they had recently had Covid or for other clinical reasons.

Alison Tonge, Regional Director of Commissioning for NHS England and NHS Improvement in the Midlands, is leading the region’s Covid-19 vaccination rollout. She said: “I want to thank everyone involved in the vaccine rollout for their extraordinary work in recent weeks. Thanks to their tireless efforts many people have already been vaccinated, including lots of care home residents. As a result, we are a vital step further forward in our fight against Covid-19. I would urge anyone who is offered the vaccine to come forward.”

The figures are also expected to confirm that the NHS in all other areas of England have offered the Covid-19 vaccine to residents at every eligible care home with older residents. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Today marks a crucial milestone in our ongoing race to vaccinate the most vulnerable against this deadly disease. We said we would prioritise and protect care home residents, and that is exactly what we have done.

“There will be difficult moments to come, and the number of cases and people in hospital remains dangerously high. But vaccines are our route out of the pandemic, and having protected 8.9 million people with a first dose so far, our rollout programme will only accelerate from here on.”

Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive said: “This important milestone in protecting the vulnerable is the result of amazing partnership working between our GPs, community nurses and care homes. And with over 2 million more people vaccinated in communities across England this past week, the NHS’s Covid vaccination campaign is off to a flying start – with nearly nine out of ten people aged 80 and above, and over three quarters of people aged 75 and over, now having had their first jab.”

Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said: “Our priority has been to protect care home residents throughout this pandemic, and I’m delighted we have reached this monumental milestone to protect the most at risk.

“This achievement to deliver a safe, effective vaccine has only been made possible by the remarkable scientists, our dedicated care home staff and volunteers and our incredible NHS all working together.

“While we celebrate this success, we will never forget the loss of life and my thoughts are with all those who have lost someone close to them.

“We cannot be complacent, and it is absolutely imperative everyone continues to play their part by staying home and protecting the NHS while the rollout continues.”

The Joint Committee of Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI), who set the priority groups for vaccination, made older adult care home residents and their staff high priority groups due to being at particular risk from Covid-19 because of their age and frailty.