Boris Johnson gives thumbs-up as he gets first dose of AstreZeneca vaccine

Mr Johnson gave a double thumbs-up to mark the occasion as he was given the jab at Westminster Bridge Vaccination Centre at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London shortly after 6.30pm on Friday evening.

Leaving hospital he told reporters: “I literally did not feel a thing and so it was very good, very quick and I cannot recommend it too highly.

“Everybody, when you get your notification to go for a jab please go and get it. It is the best thing for you, best thing for your family and for everybody else.”

The prime minister had previously dismissed concerns it was linked to blood clots, and told the nation it was “safe” at a press briefing on Thursday.

Mr Johnson was treated in the intensive care unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in April last year after his coronavirus symptoms worsened.

His jab comes as new figures suggest half of adults in England are likely to have received their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine – making it the first of the four UK nations to pass this symbolic milestone.

A total of 22,337,590 people had been given a first jab as of March 18, according to NHS England.

This is the equivalent of 50.5% of the population of England aged 18 and over, based on the latest estimates by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

A separate milestone has been passed in Wales, where one in 10 of the total population is likely to have had both doses of the vaccine.

Latest figures show that 318,976 people in Wales have received two doses, the equivalent of 10.1% of the population.