A third of UK adults are now fully vaccinated against Covid-19, latest figures have shown.

A total of 17,669,379 people have received both jabs – the equivalent of 33.5% of all people aged 18 and over.

England and Northern Ireland are both estimated to have given two doses to 33.6% of their adult population, slightly ahead of Wales (33.4%) and Scotland (33.1%).

Reaching this milestone is no accident – it is down to months of hard work and everyone in the NHS who has played a role in this is helping to protect millions of people from serious illness and saving lives

Responding to the figures for England, Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and medical director for primary care at NHS England, said: “Yet another incredible NHS milestone has been reached as one in three adults in England have now had both doses of the Covid vaccine – meaning that they have maximum protection from the virus.

“Reaching this milestone is no accident – it is down to months of hard work and everyone in the NHS who has played a role in this is helping to protect millions of people from serious illness and saving lives.”

Meanwhile, 35,371,669 people in the UK have now received a first dose of vaccine – the equivalent of 67.2% of the adult population.

Wales has given a first dose to 76.2% of its adult population, ahead of Northern Ireland (66.9%), England (66.8%) and Scotland (65.4%).

All figures are based on the latest data for vaccinations reported by the UK’s health agencies.