Leeds Covid vaccinations: Coronavirus vaccine first doses now given to almost half of city's population

In its latest weekly update, the council said more than 350,000 people in the city had received a jab as of March 30 - the equivalent of around 48 per cent of the city's population.

It said more than 59,000 of those people had also now had their second dose as the vaccination rollout continues.

The council said: "Analysis carried out by Public Health England suggests that the Covid-19 vaccination programme prevented 6,100 deaths in England up to the end of February 2021.

"It is crucial that we all get the vaccine when we are ready and able to do so to help stop the spread of the virus but whether or not you’ve had your vaccine, we all need to keep following the restrictions and continuing to follow the hands/face/space safety measures."

During April, the council said it is focusing on going back over the people in the nine priority groups set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to ensure everyone who is eligible is offered a vaccine and has access to the necessary information to make an informed decision.

"As per national guidance, we can’t book anyone in for their first vaccine who falls outside of the JCVI 1-9 cohorts," it said.

"We are encouraging all of those eligible in cohorts 1-9 who have yet to receive a vaccination or without an existing appointment book their vaccine online, by calling 119 or contacting their GP. Those who are eligible no longer need to wait to be invited."

The nine priority groups include care home residents and their carers, frontline health and social care workers, people who are clinically extremely vulnerable, people aged 16 to 64 who have underlying health conditions which place them at higher risk, and anyone aged 50 and over.

Yesterday's update on the vaccination programme's progress came as the council said the city's Covid infection rate is now 78.3 per 100,000.

While this is a decrease of 34 per cent in the last week, it is still above the England average of 31.9 per 100,000.

The recent figures also show that the city has falling infections among over-60s. The rate for that group stood at 26.1 per 100,000 - 22 per cent lower than the previous week.

The council said: "Every Leeds resident makes a difference to Covid infection rates in our city. When you continue to follow the government guidance, meet fewer people outdoors and stay local, you help to keep everyone safe.

"There is a lot to look forward to, as we move ahead on the government roadmap towards fewer restrictions, but we need to be cautious and keep infection rates low."

More easy-to-access information on the vaccine programme and its progress is among the requests being made through our A Shot In The Arm campaign.

Led by the Yorkshire Evening Post and sister titles across JPIMedia, it also asks for further reassurance for local communities and urges Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deploy the country’s network of 11,000 pharmacies to ensure that every citizen is only a short walk away from a vaccination centre.

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