UK economy rebounds in March after rapid Covid vaccine rollout

GDP lifted by 2.1% that month and dropped by only 1.5% in first quarter of 2021

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A rapid rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine across the UK's four nations lifted GDP by 2.1% in March, helping prevent a steep decline in the economyduring the third lockdown in the first three months of the year.

The economy retreated by a better than expected 1.5% during the first quarter of 2021 as the vaccine programme allowed the government to begin easing restrictions while businesses adapted to the constraints at a quicker pace than expected.