After a relatively slow start, Covid-19 vaccination rates have risen across the European Union – and now surpass levels in the United States, official figures show.
More than 57 per cent of EU residents had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by 24 July, compared with 56 per cent of Americans. The UK is still ahead of both regions, with around 68.5 per cent of all Britons having received at least one dose.
Denmark has vaccinated 70 per cent of the total population having received at least one jab, followed by the Netherlands with 69 per cent. Countries in eastern and central Europe are lagging behind the EU average, with rates of just 15 per cent in Bulgaria and 26 per cent in Romania.
The US still has a small lead over the EU on the share of people fully vaccinated (49 per cent to 46 per cent), while the UK is leading both with 54 per cent.
In Europe, the Delta variant of Covid-19 has driven a surge in infections, prompting some countries to take more drastic measures such as introducing mandatory vaccines.