Peterborough and Cambridgeshire vaccination team 'on track' to protect vulnerable residents - despite low number of octogenarians given jab

The latest data shows that since the vaccination programme began last month, 40,705 people in the county have received the first dose to protect them against coronavirus in the county (up to January 17).

Of the 40,705, a total of 20,474 are aged 80 and above - 45.7 per cent off the number of octogenarians in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.

Only Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Health and Care and Suffolk and North East Essex have vaccinated a lower percentage of people aged 80 and over.

Gloucestershire, which is top of the list, has vaccinated more than 85%.

The figures are based on provisional data from NHS England for vaccinations up to January 17, combined with population estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

But Dr Gary Howsam, Chair of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG said a number of improvements had been made in the past few days that would help the team reach vulnerable residents. He said; “In Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, we are on track to offer vaccinations to all of the top four priority cohorts by the middle of February.

"Since this data was captured, we have increased our vaccination sites by 300% in Primary Care and 100% at Hospital Hubs, which has revolutionised our local delivery, vaccinating thousands more residents and frontline workers.

“I would like to thank all of our NHS staff and volunteers who have been working tirelessly to rollout the biggest ever immunisation programme in the history of the NHS.”

Yesterday it was announced that a new mass vaccination centre will be opened in Peterborough next week, to help more people get the jab.

MORE: Where Peterborough residents who are registered with GP surgeries will be vaccinated