Covid vaccine in Wakefield: 125,000 people in district have now had first jab as health chiefs praise 'phenomenal' uptake

Over 125,000 local people have now been vaccinated, Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has said.

People aged between 55 and 59 are now being contacted about their appointments, with the CCG saying it expects all adults will have had their first dose by the end of July.

A meeting of the CCG's board on Tuesday was told that around 95 per cent of people aged over 80 had taken up the offer of a jab.

Dr Colin Speers, from Ferrybridge Medical Centre, told the meeting that helping to administer the vaccines had been "a very exciting programme to be a part of".

He said: "It's probably the most exciting thing I've done in my career so far. The level of uptake has been phenomenal.

"It's not often you get clapped into a care home.

"I'm sat in Castleford Civic Centre and the level of support we've had from the local authority has been phenomenal and we wouldn't have had as much success without their support."

Around 83 per cent of Wakefield's NHS and care workers have had their first jab. The CCG said this was the highest rate in West Yorkshire.

More vaccine supplies are expected to become available within the next fortnight.

Joanne Fitzpatrick, the CCG's vaccination officer said: "We've had very low numbers of people still yet to take up that offer of the vaccine among the most vulnerable cohorts of people.

"However, we're going to make sure those people don't get missed out.

"We're going to do some more work to understand who it is who's not taking up the vaccine, going down to postcode level, just to spot any trends.

"We've still got a way to go, another 60 per cent of people and the second doses to deliver.

"But we should have the first doses completed by the end of July and the second doses towards September."

Local Democracy Reporting Service