Boris Johnson to address nation at 5pm with ‘plan for an Army-led vaccine rollout’

Boris Johnson is holding a press conference at 5pm, and according to reports he is set to reveal an Army-led vaccine roll-out plan.

A new plan will reportedly be revealed this evening that will dramatically increase the number of people receiving the Covid vaccine. 

It is understood that military personnel will be utilised to meet the ambitious government target of 14-million people vaccinated by mid-February. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be joined by NHS England chief executive, Sir Simon Stevens as part of the announcement. 

A senior government source said last night that ‘the Prime Minister is approaching the vaccination roll-out as a military operation and that’s what you’ll see at tomorrow’s press conference’, the Metro reports.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Britain’s armed forces could be utilised to administer 100,000 doses a day if required. 

He added that 130 military planners and personnel have been authorised to work with the health service to ramp up vaccine rollout. 

Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “I’ve also got plans for up to 250 teams of mobile medically-trained personnel who could go out and administer the vaccine around the country – that would be over 100,000 a day they could potentially deliver if that is requested by the NHS.”