The top-up jab is offered to all over-75s, those aged 12 and over who are immunosuppressed and residents in care homes for older people around 6 months after their last dose.

Up to 8 May, 79.2% of all those aged 75 and over who were eligible at the end of March had taken up the vaccine.

Broken down further, 78.1% of 75 to 79 year olds and 79.6% of people aged over 80 had received the jab.

The data looked at the number of booster doses administered from March 21 up to May 8 against the number of people recorded as being aged 75 and over on March 31.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Chief Executive, Dr Jenny Harries, said:

The Spring booster offers additional protection to those most at risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent falling seriously ill, so these latest uptake figures are very encouraging.

We know the virus is still circulating so I would urge anyone who is eligible to come forward for their booster if they have not already done so.

More than 3.1 million Spring boosters have been administered to the overall eligible cohort.

Data from the government-funded COVBOOST trial, led by University Hospital Southampton, shows a fourth dose of a vaccine provides strong protection and boosts antibody levels above that of a third dose.

Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup said:

This is brilliant progress – thank you to the amazing NHS and care sector workers, volunteers and public health colleagues for your continued dedication to protect the public.

As soon as you are eligible, please come forward to boost your immunity.

Spring booster jab appointments can be booked quickly on the NHS website or by phoning 119 for those who cannot get online. People will be invited by the NHS to book an appointment around 6 months after their previous dose.

Local NHS teams are also delivering Spring boosters in care homes for older adults to those who are eligible.

Deputy Lead for the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme and Chief GP, Dr Nikki Kanani, said:

This latest data shows that the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has vaccinated 4 in 5 of eligible over 75s with a Spring booster, with more than 1.3 million coming forward in under 2 months for additional protection thanks to NHS staff continuing to work at speed to roll these fourth doses out.

We know that millions of other eligible people have also had their Spring booster, either because they are immunosuppressed or live in a care home, and I would encourage anyone receiving invites in the coming days and weeks, or yet to act on theirs, to come forward and book in to get what is a proven, significant increase in protection from COVID-19.

• Cabinet Office Minister Nigel Adams promoted the Cultural Development Fund and explored his family links to pottery in Stoke-on-Trent

• Gladstone Pottery Museum is set in a coal-fired pottery which was originally founded in 1787

• Minister explored family roots to the area, pottery and shown historic artefacts

In the same week the government announced the second phase of the Museum Estate and Development Fund, Cabinet Office Minister Nigel Adams paid a visit to Stoke-on-Trent’s Gladstone Pottery Museum on Thursday 12 May, to promote the fund and explore his family links to Pottery and Stoke-on-Trent.

The site, which dates back to the 18th century, was of particular interest to the Minister, as it allowed him to explore his links to the pottery industry and hear how the museum is recovering after the pandemic.

The visit was also an opportunity for the Cabinet Office Minister to speak to the leaders of Gladstone Pottery Museum about the financial support that is available from round two of the government’s Cultural Investment Fund (CIF).

Within the fund is the £63.3 million Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND), which will be divided over the next three years. MEND helps fund urgent museum maintenance and infrastructure works beyond their day-to-day budgets.

Following a meeting with employees, Minister Adams was given a tour of the museum and talked with curator Ben Miller about his family links to the Adams and Co. pottery company – which was created by William Adams in Stoke, Staffordshire in 1769. He was also shown the famous teapot that was used to serve tea to ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’.

It is reported that William Adams, born in 1746, was one of the earlier potters to create from Stoke-on-Trent, the home of The Potteries, and came from a long lineage of potters, spanning many generations. Adams founded the Greengates Pottery in 1779 and stamped all pottery with the name ‘Adams & Co.’

Minister Nigel Adams said:

Stoke-on-Trent is synonymous with the pottery industry, not just in the UK but globally.

It’s been fantastic to come to Gladstone today and learn more about my family’s links to the pottery industry and local area.

It was good to speak to the staff about how this government is significantly investing in the tourism and leisure industry to ensure that attractions like this remain open to the public for decades to come.”

Located in a coal-fired pottery, originally founded in 1787, the museum opened in 1974, and won VisitEngland’s ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’ award in 2020.

It has recently been used as the filming site for Sky’s ‘The Colour Room’ – based on the life of Stoke-on-Trent ceramic artist Clarice Cliff and how she went from working in the Potteries in the 1920s to becoming one of the greatest ceramic designers.

The holdings of the Museum Service across its sites, including the Gladstone Pottery Museum, are considered a designated collection of outstanding importance, demonstrating immense richness and variety.

Recognising the tourism, leisure, and hospitality sector had been severely impacted by the pandemic, Minister Adams also wanted to hear how the museum was recovering from the pandemic and lockdowns, whilst highlighting that the government has provided the arts and culture sectors around £2bn.

This week is Learning at Work Week (16 to 22 May). This Learning at Work Week, the Government Campus hosts a series of live events for civil servants to learn more about the training available from the people involved in designing and developing it. Find out more and book on them here.

The theme this year is ‘Learning Uncovered’. It encourages you wherever you work and whatever your level to uncover your talents. This is what will enable us to build A Modern Civil Service that is more skilled.

Here are 3 reasons to invest in your learning:

Good induction is more than a few introductory chats. New starters – at all levels – sometimes struggle to know, and gain, the universal skills and knowledge necessary for working effectively in government. If we are serious about giving everyone an equal chance to succeed, then we have to give them equal opportunities to do so.

What can you do?

2.You need new skills for the challenges of modern government

Along with universal knowledge and skills, we need to equip ourselves for the digital age. The basics of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) are essential to every role. Big data analysis and interpretation, digital capabilities, and scientific methods, are core to approaching most public policy challenges. We need to know enough about them to know when and how to seek specialist support.

At the same time, excellence in public administration will always be in demand. That means perfecting and practising skills – subjective judgement, managing people, complex trade-offs – that robots are unlikely to learn. The fact is, these things are essential for running and transforming complex systems.

As we progress through our careers, we need to acquire practical skills to achieve tangible results: managing projects, managing performance, managing people. The Government Campus is bringing clarity and accessibility to the practical knowledge and skills leaders and managers need, as they build experience through their careers through the Leadership College for Government.

What can you do?

You can develop your technical skills and support your career progression

On joining the Civil Service and throughout your career, you can join a profession and cross-government function, and move between them. You’ll have a defined ‘domain’ of skills and knowledge, and a community of practice, providing both formal and informal expertise, accreditation and ‘licence to practice’.

You’ll be supported in a clear career pathway, which will be relevant beyond government and the public sector: finance, law, economics, commercial, debt management, communications.

What can you do?

For these reasons and more, now is the time to access training for you.

This Learning at Work Week, please take the opportunity to explore the strands and join us at one of our live events. Chat with your line manager about where you think you might need or want to enhance existing skills or learn something new.

To get regular updates on the news and developments across the Government Campus, sign up to Campus News. You can also follow Government Campus on Twitter and LinkedIn.