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The region of England where the most over-80s have been vaccinated

The UK has vaccinated the most people in Europe. (PA)
The UK has vaccinated the most people in Europe. (PA)

Almost half of the over-80s in the North East and Yorkshire have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the latest figures show.

The latest data from NHS England shows 49% of over-80s have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, putting the region 12% ahead of any other part of England.

London and the East of England, some of the areas that have been the hardest hit during the current wave of COVID-19, are lagging behind the rest of the country.

The capital has vaccinated 31% of its over-80s, while the East of England has given 30% of its over-80s jabs.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan claimed the capital was not getting its fair share of vaccine doses.

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The Labour mayor said: “I am hugely concerned that Londoners have received only a tenth of the vaccines that have been given across the country.

“The situation in London is critical with rates of the virus extremely high, which is why it’s so important that vulnerable Londoners are given access to the vaccine as soon as possible.”

He said he would hold talks with vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi “to ensure that we urgently receive an amount of the vaccine that reflects our size, density and the level of need in our city”.

The NHS responded, insisting that London was getting its “fair share” of vaccine supply.

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A spokesman for the NHS in London said: “The NHS coronavirus vaccination programme, the biggest in the health service’s history, has got off to a strong start with a quarter of a million Londoners receiving their first vaccination against Covid, giving significant protection to those most at risk from the virus.

“We have more than 100 vaccination sites up and running across London, including the NHS COVID-19 vaccination centre in the ExCeL London, and more are opening all the time.

“London is getting its fair share of vaccine supply for the priority groups we have to vaccinate by mid-February.”

The other areas of England have all vaccinated just over a third of their over-80s, the figures are:

  • South West 37%

  • North West 36%

  • Midlands 35%

  • South East 36%

The estimates are based on population figures from the Office for National Statistics and data from the NHS.

The latest figures show over 2,371,407 injections have been carried out in England, 374,103 of which were second jabs.

Just over one million over-80s in the UK have now received at least their first jab of the COVID-19 vaccine, with slightly less under-80s also getting the injection.

The Midlands has handed out the most jabs overall with 447,329 and the East of England providing the lowest at 236,023, slightly below London at 237,524.

The government has committed to giving about 13 million people in the UK the vaccine by the end of February.

The figure includes all of the most vulnerable people in the UK as well as all frontline health and care workers.

Separate figures from NHS England show that nearly a quarter (23%) of all first doses of COVID-19 vaccine in England up to 7 January went to people aged 49 and under.

Just over half (53%) went to people aged 80 and over.

Some 12% went to people aged 50-59, 6% to those aged 60-69, and 6% to those aged 70-79.

While the rollout of the vaccine brings hope for many, the government and leading scientists have warned the next few weeks will be the toughest of the pandemic.

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There were 1,564 deaths recorded within 28 days of a positive test on Wednesday, the highest figure reported in a single day since the beginning of the pandemic.

Speaking on the day that the daily reported death toll reached a new high, chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said “we’re in a period of high death numbers” which will not “reduce quickly”.

The latest figures mean the grim milestone of more than 100,000 deaths involving coronavirus has now been passed in the UK, according to official data.

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