Robert Goodwill has welcomed the news that 1,388,202 people in North East and Yorkshire have received their COVID-19 booster or third jab as the Conservative government continues to step up efforts to ensure that vulnerable people are fully protected against COVID-19 over the winter.
The latest figures show that more than 10 million people across the UK have received their COVID-19 booster or third jabs, ensuring the vital protection they have secured from their first two doses is maintained over the winter months.
A total of 10,062,704 people have received their booster and third jabs in the UK. 45,836,791 people have had two doses (79.7%) and 50,234,416 people have received one dose (87.4%). Seven in 10 over 80s and three in five over-50s in England are already vaccinated with top-up jabs.
NHS England will be inviting another three million people who will become eligible for their booster next week. More than 13 million invites, including texts, letters and emails, have already been sent to eligible people in England so far asking them to book their booster online through the National Booking Service. The additional letters due to land next week will mean around 16 million invites have been sent in England since the NHS booster programme began.
The National Booking Service will be updated tomorrow (Monday 8 November) to allow those eligible for a booster vaccine - people over 50 and those most at risk of COVID-19 - to pre-book their jab five months after their second dose.
People will still receive their vaccine six months after their second dose, but the change will speed up the vaccination programme by allowing people to receive a jab the day they become eligible, rather than waiting for a convenient appointment.
People will also be able to book by calling 119 and can get vaccinated at hundreds of walk-in sites across the country six months after their second dose without an appointment. Those eligible can use the NHS online walk-in finder to locate the most convenient site.
COVID-19 booster vaccines have been delivered or booked in at every older adult care home in England where safe to do so, with almost nine in 10 care homes already visited.
Mr Goodwill said:
“It is absolutely fantastic news that 1,388,202 people in North East and Yorkshire have received a booster dose or third vaccination, which will offer life-saving protection to them and their loved ones this winter. Those people, including everyone who has got their third jab in Scarborough and Whitby, are part of the ten million people across the country who have already received a booster jab. I would urge anyone who is eligible and hasn’t yet come forward to get a booster jab as soon as possible, by booking online or at one of our local walk-in sites. We can all do our bit this winter to protect our loved ones and the NHS, and to stay ahead in the race against the virus, by taking up the offer of a vaccine as soon as we are eligible”
