'Warlike effort' needed for Covid vaccine rollout, Wakefield MP says, as he calls for vaccines to be expanded to pharmacies

Imran Ahmad Khan MP said the government would need to "employ every conceivable mechanism" to expand and bolster the country's vaccination campaign.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Khan praised the government's response to the pandemic and continued vaccine rollout.

But he said that an expanded and accelerated vaccination programme would be the only way to bring an end to the "fearsome costs" of the pandemic response.

Mr Mr Khan said: "The financial and human cost of the pandemic justifies and demands a warlike effort in retaliation.

"The Adam Smith Institute recently released a report on how to effectively accelerate the UK’s covid-19 vaccination programme.

"Providing a 24/7 vaccination service is one such proposal. Other recommendations include commissioning pharmacies to provide vaccine services, allowing walk-in services for spare appointments and doses and simplifying the recruitment process to maximise the number of volunteers in the UK’s jab army.

"West Yorkshire alone has more than 540 community pharmacies with staff trained in giving vaccinations."

More than four million people in the UK have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccination to date, including 139,000 people in areas covered by the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership.

And Covid vaccines are now on offer at seven locations in the Wakefield district.

But a campaign from your Express and our sister papers across the country is calling for the government to allow each of the UK's 11,000 pharmacies to begin administering the jab, ensuring that everyone is just a short walk from their vaccination.

More than 120,000 people have signed our petition calling for all pharmacies to be given the chance to assist with the Covid-19 vaccination programme. To find out more, or add your voice to the campaign, click here.