Spacing COVID-19 vaccine doses will save more lives, says UK health minister

Britain's decision to delay the second doses of COVID-19 vaccines to make sure more people can get a first dose more quickly will help save lives, Britain's health minister Matt Hancock said on Thursday.

"The justification is really clear and straightforward, which is that it saves more lives, and ultimately, that is the public health justification," Hancock told lawmakers, asked about the change in policy on Dec. 30 which allows the second dose of vaccines to be given up to 12 weeks after the first.

"The data show that there is a significant protection from both the Oxford and the Pfizer jabs after the first dose."