GP surgeries in England are being sent the Oxford Covid vaccine with reports doctors are being urged to "stand down" routine care.
The drive to mass vaccinate the population will gather pace with the jab available at 180 GP-led services from Thursday, NHS England said.
It comes as the UK faces a race to protect the population after the daily reported death toll topped 1,000 for the first time since April.
Record numbers are also currently in hospital with coronavirus, with a further 3,500 admitted in England on Monday January 4.