County Covid jabs hit 500,000 mark

MORE than half a million residents have now received their first Covid-19 vaccination in Staffordshire – and the number getting their second jab has passed the 100,000 mark.

The news comes as it was announced that a quarter of adults in Derbyshire are now fully vaccinated against Covid-19, nearly five months into the vaccination roll-out.

Speaking at the latest cabinet meeting, Staffordshire County Council leader Alan White said: “Staffordshire’s Covid rate is now significantly below the England and West Midlands.

“Vaccination rates in the county are amongst the very best in the UK and we need to thank our colleagues in the NHS for all their support they have given us in delivery of that vaccine.”

A report from the Covid Member Led Local Outbreak Control Board revealed the progress of the vaccination programme in Staffordshire.

It said: “The Covid vaccination programme continues to make good progress and the vaccine is proving effective at limiting the number of cases and complications. The NHS has now vaccinated over 500,000 people in Staffordshire with a first dose, and 100,000 with a second dose.

“The vaccination programme is proceeding according to the priority order defined by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation and has now reached people in their 40s.

“There has been some concern about very rare side effects associated with the first dose of the Oxford-astrazeneca vaccine. For the vast majority of people the benefit of vaccination far outweighs any risk.”

Councillor Johnny Mcmahon, cabinet member for health, care and wellbeing, told fellow cabinet members: “We in Staffordshire can enjoy great success in what has happened over the past few weeks. We’ve seen schools open, people being able to meet outside and non-essential retail, libraries, community centres and the like opened.

“We can see further opening of the economy and society on May 17 and June 21, provided the data remains strong.”