West Yorkshire's coronavirus vaccine supply will vary 'to ensure a fair spread across the country', top medic reveals

Supplies of the coronavirus vaccine to West Yorkshire in the coming weeks will vary because of the need "to ensure a fair and equitable spread across the country", a senior health official in the county has revealed.
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In a letter seen by The Yorkshire Post, Dr Phil Wood told MPs and councillors that deliveries were "being targeted to areas where there are more people left to vaccinate in the priority cohorts".

Dr Wood, the senior responsible officer for the vaccine programme in West Yorkshire, said the allocation of vaccines to West Yorkshire would be lower this week than last week but that every group of GP practices would get a delivery this week.

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And the chief medical officer for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said officials still expected to get enough supplies to offer vaccinations to everyone in the top four priority groups by mid-February.

It comes amid conflicting reports about whether doses of the vaccine originally intended for Yorkshire, which has been one of the fastest regions to roll out the programme, were to be redirected to other parts of the country.

The Yorkshire Post understands that while West Yorkshire's overall allocation of vaccine will remain unchanged in the longer term, it will get a smaller supply in the short term while other areas are allowed to catch up.

The most recent statistics show that the North East and Yorkshire have administered more jabs than any other region aside from the East Midlands, with the South West and London lagging behind.

Linda and Richard Poskitt from Knottingley were among the first to be vaccinated at the vaccination centre which has opened to the public at Navigation Walk in Wakefield. Picture Scott MerryleesLinda and Richard Poskitt from Knottingley were among the first to be vaccinated at the vaccination centre which has opened to the public at Navigation Walk in Wakefield. Picture Scott Merrylees
Linda and Richard Poskitt from Knottingley were among the first to be vaccinated at the vaccination centre which has opened to the public at Navigation Walk in Wakefield. Picture Scott Merrylees
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In his letter updating local politicians about the vaccine roll-out, Dr Wood wrote: "You will also no doubt be aware of the extensive media coverage there has been about vaccine allocations to our region being reduced from next week, which has understandably caused considerable anxiety for both local people and staff.

"However, while our allocations for this week will be lower than last week, we are still expecting to receive enough supplies to offer vaccinations to all people in the first four priority cohorts by mid-February and all PCN centres [groups of GP practices] will be receiving a delivery this week.

"Our understanding is that our total allocation has not been changed but the amount of supplies we receive will vary over the next few weeks.

"This is due to the need to ensure a fair and equitable spread across the country and to make sure people in the groups at greatest risk are all offered a vaccination as quickly as possible.

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"Deliveries are therefore being targeted to areas where there are more people left to vaccinate in the priority cohorts.

"In line with this approach, we are also looking at how we can make sure that people in the top two priority cohorts – care homes, frontline staff and people aged 80 and over - across all areas of West Yorkshire have been offered their first vaccinations, before continuing with other cohorts."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons last week that the North East and parts of Yorkshire had gone "really fast early on" but that "we have to make sure the vaccination programme is fair everywhere".

But Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi said Yorkshire would receive the same share of the vaccine next week as this week, which he said amounted to 13 per cent of the national supply.

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And Yorkshire MPs were told in a briefing on Thursday that the region's allocation was not falling.

But the following morning Dr Nikita Kanani, director of Primary Care for NHS England said the vaccine was being diverted away from more successful areas such as Yorkshire and the North East.

She said: "I really understand my colleagues’ frustration, particularly in this case it happens to be in the northern areas, they've done an incredible job.

"And so while we have a supply that is constrained we need to make sure that goes to the areas where people are not vaccinated, because what we have to do, our priority is to make sure that the top priority groups are vaccinated as quickly as possible."

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Elsewhere in his letter, sent on January 25, Dr Wood said GP practices were "continuing to provide vaccinations from local centres, as well as to local care homes".

He said: "We have made excellent progress on vaccinating care homes and are hoping to complete the remaining ones over the next few days."

Three more community pharmacies are vaccinating from this week, at Superdrug at the Merrion Centre in Leeds and two Pharmacy2U services in the Village Hotel, South Leeds and Morrisons on Dewsbury Road, Wakefield, with three more to open next week in the Kirklees area.

The first large-scale vaccination centre at Navigation Walk in Wakefield opened today, with centres at The John Smith’s Stadium and Jacobs Well hopefully opening the week after, followed by the centre at Elland Road on February 8.

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The facility at Elland Road is currently being used to provide vaccinations to frontline health and care workers and Dr Wood said there has been a "significant increase in the numbers originally estimated for this group, following further national guidance on eligible professions".

He added: "Work is underway in all areas to identify and contact all those covered in the second priority cohort."

And the senior medic said there had been some confusion caused by invitation letters from the national booking system inviting them to book vaccinations at centres outside their local areas.

He wrote: "These are being sent to people aged 75 and over who live within a 45 minute drive of any of the open centres.

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"This means that people are receiving invitations to book at locations that are in different areas to where they normally receive their healthcare and some people are concerned about having to travel outside of their local area.

"We are trying to reassure people that they do not have to book an appointment at one of these centres if it is not convenient for them to get there and that they can choose to wait for an

invitation from their GP practice or to wait until the West Yorkshire centres open and are added to the national booking system over the next few weeks."

A Government spokesperson said:“We are in close contact with all of our vaccine suppliers and remain on track to offer first vaccinations to the top four priority groups by mid-February.

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“As we’ve said, supply is the limiting factor and as the public would expect we’re prioritising those most at risk from this disease across the country.

“Our approach so far has ensured we’ve vaccinated more people than any country in Europe.”