Latest Covid figures for Wakefield as NHS staff work 'around the clock' to deliver vaccines to most vulnerable residents

GP surgeries across the district have begun offering the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for the first time this week, as it was confirmed that a large vaccination centre will be opened in the city in the coming weeks.

Care home residents, people over 80 and frontline health and social workers are among the groups who are being prioritised for the vaccine, which is administered in two doses, at least 21 days apart.

And NHS staff are prepared to expand the rollout of the vaccine "as fast as supplies become available", one of the district's health chiefs has said.

A total of 17,422 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the Wakefield district to date, including 796 new cases since the start of the year.

The rate of cases has continued to rise in the weeks since Christmas, and now stands at 259 per 100,000.

And at least 876 people have died after testing positive for the virus, including 746 at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals and a further 130 at the district's care homes.

Speaking earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "battle preparation techniques" would be used to distribute the vaccine.

And a third vaccine, developed by US company Moderna, has now been approved for use in the UK.

Jo Webster, Chief Officer of NHS Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “It is great news that we will be able to protect more vulnerable people.

"We are working with partners in Wakefield to make sure people can get their first vaccination as quickly and easily as possible and are ready to expand the rollout as fast as supplies become available.

“GPs, nurses, pharmacists and countless other staff, partners and volunteers are working around the clock to provide vaccinations.

"We know people are eager get protected and may be concerned if they are in one of the priority cohorts and have not been contacted yet. However, we would like to reassure them that they will be contacted over the next few weeks.

“Services are extremely busy at the moment and we would ask people to help the NHS at this very difficult time by not contacting their local GP or other NHS services about getting a vaccination.

"People will not be able to book an appointment until they have been invited to do so, so please be patient and we will contact you as soon as it is your turn.”