NO HALF MEASURES
■Fury as report says we will get 100,000 fewer vaccine doses next week ■ Talks of second North East vaccination centre ■ It’s just not good enough – Echo comment
An MP fears lives will be risked by any decision to redirect supplies of coronavirus vaccine away from the North East.
NHS England has refused to deny informed reports that the area will have 100,000 less doses next week so that more immunisations can take place in other parts of the country.
But it has confirmed that “targeted deliveries are being made to areas where there are more people left to vaccinate in the priority cohorts”.
New data suggests the North East, which is paired with Yorkshire as an NHS region, has administered a higher percentage of jabs to people aged 80 and above than anywhere else in the country.
The 67% figure, compiled our parent company’s JPI Data Unit, is in contrast to London, where the figure for the same age bracket is the lowest out of seven NHS regions at 50%.
It comes as the respected Health Service Journal (HSJ) has claimed: “Well-placed sources said the North East and Yorkshire, one of seven English NHS regions, had been told there would be around 100,000 doses available next week for its centres run by GP practices, which make up the large majority of current vaccinations.
"This will be down from about 200,000 this week.
“They have been told the main reason is that large parts of the North East and Yorkshire have vaccinated a
greater percentage of their population than other regions, including very many of the over 80s, meaning they are more quickly moving on to groups under 80.
“Sources said it was a major frustration in the area, especially in primary care, because they had set up the capacity to administer tens of thousands more than they would be able to.”
Easington Labour MP Grahame Morris said any decision to redirect vaccines was “not acceptable” and that
he is to hold talks with Covid minister Nadhim Zahawi.
He also urged the Government to be “open and honest about the supply and distribution of the vaccine rather than hiding the data and information from the public”.
Mr Morris said: “For the Government to recognise this achievement by redirecting vaccines to let other regions catch up will risk people's lives in my constituency.
“People will be worried about their loved ones whose
risk of exposure to Covid will now be extended.
"This decision is not acceptable and I will be raising this matter with the Covid minister.
"The Government needs to be open and honest about the supply and distribution of the vaccine rather than hiding the data and information from the public."
It comes as the Echo is running its Shot in the Arm campain calling on the Government to enable pharmacies to distribute the vaccine
and create a network of facilities within 10 minutes of peoples’ homes.
An NHS spokesperson said: “All available vaccine doses are being delivered to vaccination sites and every GP-led vaccination site is receiving a delivery this week.
"To ensure all of those people in the top priority groups can get vaccinated quickly, targeted deliveries are being made to areas where there are more people left to vaccinate in the priority cohorts.”