LONDON, March 13 — People over 40 in the UK will be offered their first coronavirus vaccination by Easter on April 4 as a boost in supplies will allow rapid expansion of the inoculation programme, the Telegraph reported yesterday, citing a senior government source.

Vaccine stocks are expected to more than double, allowing the National Health Service (NHS) to offer a million doses a day in coming weeks, the newspaper said.

People over the age of 50 are expected to receive an invitation for a vaccine dose over the next week, around three weeks ahead of the government’s target, according to the report.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Care said that the claim that over-40s would be offered vaccine shots by Easter is "incorrect,” when contacted by Reuters. "We have set out our timelines for the vaccination programme and there is no change to this.”

"We intend to offer a first dose to all over-50s by mid-April and all adults by the end of July,” the spokeswoman said. — Reuters