UK PM: 350 thousand people vaccinated so far

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Saturday 350,000 people h so far received first dose of a coronavirus vaccine in UK.  UK started a mass immunization programme earlier this month after a COVID-19 vaccine created by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech was given green light by Britain's medicine regulatory ncy.

Johnson gave update on vaccine figures as he anunced a new tier of restrictions for parts of UK.  Prime Minister said London and large areas in sourn England alrey placed at highest level of U.K. government's three-tiered coronavirus alert system will move into a new Tier 4 that requires all n-essential shops, hairdressers and indoor leisure venues to close after end of business hours Saturday.

He also anunced that a planned easing of socializing rules that would have allowed up to three households to meet in “Christmas bubbles” from Dec. 23 to Dec. 27, will be canceled for Tier 4 areas and sharply curtailed in rest of England. England's Chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, warned country was in a "really critical and dangerous time" in its fight against virus and urged people to keep ir Christmas garings as short as possible.