UK PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has tonight received his first dose of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

Johnson got the jab in St Thomas’ Hospital in London, the same hospital where he spent time in intensive care after contracting Covid-19 last year.

“Getting the jab is the best thing we can do to get back to the lives we miss so much,” said Johnson in a tweet after getting the shot.

“Let’s get the jab done.”

I've just received my first Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine dose.

Thank you to all of the incredible scientists, NHS staff and volunteers who helped make this happen.

Getting the jab is the best thing we can do to get back to the lives we miss so much.

Let's get the jab done. pic.twitter.com/mQCTMAkB8d

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 19, 2021

As part of its current vaccine rollout, both Cohort 8 (over 55′s) and Cohort 9 (over 50′s) are being brought in for vaccination.

Johnson, who is 56, is part of Cohort 8 who began getting their vaccinations earlier this week.

The news comes as multiple EU countries, including Ireland, have begun to restart the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine within vaccination programmes.

The European Medicines Agency concluded yesterday that the vaccine is “safe and effective”, and that it was not associated with an increased risk of blood clots. 

Currently, over 26 million adults in the UK have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. 

Johnson spoke in the House of Commons earlier this week and said that he would be getting the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

I think perhaps the best thing I can say about the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine programme is that I finally got news that I’m going to have my own jab very shortly, I’m pleased to discover…It will certainly be Oxford/AstraZeneca that I will be having.