THE army is being brought in to help administer vaccines on behalf of the Government - as the mass rollout continues in Dorset.

The Government plans to vaccinate 14 million people in the top four priority groups by the middle of February, it was announced during a public address today by prime minister Boris Johnson.

More than 1.5 million people across the UK have now had their first vaccine dose, the PM said. 

Also taking the podium was Brigadier Phil Prosser of the British Army, who said: "My team is embedded with the NHS... we are one team.

"(The army is) adding to what is already an extremely high performance team. Our mission is to support the NHS to deliver the maximum amount of vaccines to minimise the amount of deaths.

"We need to make sure each one of you has equal access to the vaccine no matter where you are.

"Our aim is to deliver operational excellence, using tried and tested techniques seen in the UK and abroad, to ensure targets are met.

"A vaccination programme of this scale is unprecedented.

"Where required we have 21 quick response vaccination force teams able to deliver vaccinations where they are needed."

Joint chief executive of NHS England, Sir Simon Stevens, said there are 50 per cent more covid hospital inpatients than at the peak of the virus April, in every region of the country - many of whom caught the infection between Christmas and new year.

"The pressures are real - the message from everybody in the NHS is that we must do everything necessary to control the spread," he said.

A new national booking service will soon make it easier to book the jab.

More follows.