‘TAKE UP VACCINATIONS AND HELP THE COUNTRY GET BACK TO NORMAL’
180 have now been jabbed in North Staffs
MORE than 180,000 people aged 50 and over have now had their first Covid jab in North Staffordshire.
Provisional data from NHS England shows this represents well over nine out of 10 residents who fall within this age group.
The figures cover the period up to March 28 and the population in each area is based on official estimates.
In Stoke-on-trent, 94 per cent of all those aged 50 and over - 85,427 residents - have had their first dose of the vaccine.
That places the city joint 170th out of more than 300 councils across England.
In Newcastle borough – coming in at joint 85th – 49,800 residents in this age bracket have had the jab. That’s 95.7 per cent of those eligible.
Staffordshire Moorlands is just a few paces behind at joint 109th, with 95.2 per cent of the over-50s vaccinated.
Altogether, 44,825 residents in the district have had their first dose. Stafford borough has come in at joint 57th, with a 96.2 per cent vaccination rate after 57,433 people had their coronavirus jab.
While in Cheshire East, 162,338 people – 94.5 per cent of the over50s – have been vaccinated. The borough’s rate places it joint 146th nationally. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi, pictured, said: “Vaccines are an incredibly important part of our route out of lockdown and this pandemic, and it’s vital people take advantage of the protection they provide.
“No matter who you are, where you live, your race or your religion, I encourage everyone to take up both their vaccinations when offered and help this country get back to normality.”
It came as a further 39 people tested positive for coronavirus across Stokeon-trent and Staffordshire between Easter Sunday and yesterday. That included 14 new cases in the city.
There has also been one new Covid-related death recorded in Staffordshire. The person lived in Newcastle borough.
In Cheshire East, the figures for yesterday showed another coronavirus-related death and a further eight people testing positive for Covid-19 across the borough.