People aged 36 and 37 are now to be invited to book Covid jabs through the NHS.

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed there are now 2,323 confirmed cases of the Indian coronavirus variant in the UK, and appealed to people to get the jab.

In a Commons statement, Mr Hancock revealed 483 of the cases have been recorded in Bolton and Blackburn with Darwen in the north west of England.

Meanwhile, up to 20 cases of the Indian variant have been detected across Kent in a week, with one district recording the highest number in the south east.

The spread of the variant has sparked fears the lifting of lockdown next month could be stalled – despite the success of the NHS' largest-ever vaccination programme.

The national vaccination booking service was opened up to people aged 38 and 39 on Thursday.

Since then, more than 930,000 appointments have been booked.

From 7am, more than a million people aged 36 and 37 will be invited to book their jabs.

Texts inviting people to book a vaccination will be sent out to 37-year-olds today and to 36-year-olds tomorrow.

The texts will allow people to access the national booking service, and arrange an appointment at an NHS Vaccination Centre, pharmacy or GP vaccination site.

NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis, said: “Bookings for the fastest and most successful NHS vaccination programme in history continue to surge with more than 930,000 appointments made in a matter of days since opening up to 38 and 39 year olds.

“With well over 30 million first doses of vital protection against coronavirus delivered just six months into the NHS vaccination drive, the NHS is able to open up to 36 and 37 year olds as the programme continues at pace.

“Getting vaccinated is the most important step we can take to protect ourselves, our families and our communities against Covid 19, so when it is your turn to get your first or second dose please do so.”

“On the advice of the Government and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) people aged 50 and over and the clinically vulnerable are having their second doses brought forward to counter the spread of the Indian variant.

“Nobody needs to contact the NHS. You will be told how to rebook if you need to.

“Getting vaccinated is the most important step we can take to protect ourselves, our families and our communities against Covid 19, so when it is your turn to get your first or second dose please do so.”

The government and the JCVI announced that second dose appointments will be brought forward from 12 to 8 weeks for those aged 50 and over who have yet to received theirs.

People should continue to attend their appointments unless told otherwise.

NHS England’s lead for the NHS vaccination programme, Dr Emily Lawson said: “Well over 47 million vaccinations have been delivered in England since the world’s first jab in December and thanks to the NHS’ incredible efforts we are seeing vaccinations demonstrably reducing the need for hospital care as well as saving thousands of lives from coronavirus.”

“The success of the NHS vaccination programme is not a happy accident - it’s the result of exceptional planning, targeted delivery and people’s determination to protect their patients, friends and communities as fast as possible.”

The NHS made history on December 8, when Maggie Keenan became the first person in the world to be protected against coronavirus outside of a clinical trial when she received the Pfizer vaccine at Coventry Hospital.

The same day, great-grandfather Kenneth Lamb was the first person in Kent to be jabbed, as he received the Covid-19 vaccine, at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

Since then more than 30 million people have been vaccinated with a first dose in England – two-thirds of the total adult population.

More than one-third of adults have had both doses, meaning they have maximum protection from the virus.

When invited, people will be able to book at one of the vaccination centre, pharmacy or general practice sites across the country that are available through the national booking service.

Text invitations appear as an alert from ‘NHSvaccine’, including a web link to the NHS website to reserve an appointment.

People who cannot go online can call the service on 119 instead to book their jab.

Vaccinations are now being administered at more than 1,600 sites across the country, including mosques, museums and rugby grounds, meaning the vast majority of the people live within 10 miles of at least one vaccination service.

People 39 and below who are eligible, along with pregnant women, will be offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine in line with recently updated JCVI guidance.

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