Covid vaccine rollout: New figures reveal how many in Mansfield and Ashfield have had the jab one year on

December 8 marks a year to the day that 90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first person to get the Pfizer jab after its approval in the UK.

The vaccine was administered at University Hospital Coventry, and marked the start of a historic world-wide mass vaccination programme.

Since then, 81,811 people aged 12 and over in Mansfield, and 95,147 in Ashfield have received at least the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, figures up to December 4 from the UK coronavirus daily dashboard show.

75,547 in Mansfield and 87,968 in Ashfield have also received a second dose, with a further 37,238 people in Mansfield and 40,741 in Ashfield having received a booster jab or third dose by December 4.

Vaccines minister Maggie Throup said the Covid-19 vaccination programme – the largest in British history – has been "remarkable".

She added: "Booster jabs will protect the progress we have already made against the virus and help ensure we can enjoy Christmas safely with our loved ones.

"The offer of a first and second dose will always be available and I encourage everybody to come forward to protect yourself and those around you."

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, warned that although more than 96 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have already been given, providing protection to nine in 10 people, the emergence of the Omicron variant shows the pandemic is ‘far from over’.

He said: "Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff and volunteers we have carried out almost two million vaccinations a week on average since the largest vaccination drive in NHS history began last December – with more sites delivering jabs across the country.

“I think most experts are now in a place where they believe that it’s likely to be more transmissible.

“We are not sure yet about how severe it will be – that I think will become clearer over the next few weeks.

“But it’s still the case that vaccines are the best defence against it, particularly that third booster dose."

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