BORIS Johnson has celebrated the 'huge signficant milestone' of 10 million people being given their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

The Prime Minister described it as part of the 'road map' for schools reopening in England with the date still earmarked at March 8.

He told a No 10 news conference that the evidence showed that the vaccines reduce 'death and serious illness' from the main strains of the disease.

So far, 90 per cent of people in the country aged 75 and over have had the jab.

He said that in the run-up to the review of lockdown restrictions in England in the week beginning February 15, the Government would be accumulating more data so it could start charting a way forward, starting with the reopening of schools.

"I will be setting out as much as we can about that roadmap forward on February 22," he added

However Mr Johnson said that coronavirus infection rates remain 'alarmingly high' with latest figures showing 1,322 new Covid deaths.

The Prime Minister told a No 10 news conference: "Though today there are some signs of hope - the numbers of Covid patients in hospital are beginning to fall for the first time since the onset of this new wave - the level of infection is still alarmingly high.

"The wards of our NHS are under huge pressure with more than 32,000 Covid patients still in hospital."