The UK has reported 1,401 new coronavirus deaths and an additional 40,261 infections on Friday, bringing the total number of deaths in the UK to 97,329.

This latest figure was reported just after senior doctors called on England’s chief medical officer to cut the 12-week gap between doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

Also, a total of 5,861,351 people have also had a first dose of a vaccine, with another 468,617 people so far receiving their second inoculation against the virus with the average number of secondary infections produced by a single infected person currently standing between 0.8 and 1, with a daily infection growth rate range of -4% to -1%.

 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also hinted on more border restrictions in a bid to stop dangerous new coronavirus variants entering the country.