NHS bosses warn of looming covid vaccine shortage, as Derbyshire hits jabs milestone

Nearly half of Derbyshire’s adult population has been vaccinated against Covid-19 while supply shortfalls loom.
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​A total of 414,516 Derbyshire residents have received their first Covid-19 vaccine doses as of the most recent NHS England data, to the week ending March 14.

This represents 49.3 per cent of Derby and Derbyshire’s population aged 16 and above, meaning one in two adults in the county and city have now been vaccinated, just over 100 days into the roll-out.

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Meanwhile, 96.83 per cent of the county’s population aged 65 and above has been vaccinated.

The number of weekly vaccines being administered is up from last week, but still below other weeks due to vaccine supply shortages.

In the past week the county vaccinated 37,565 additional people, compared to a high of around 54,000 in early February.

Vaccine supply shortages have dominated headlines, with NHS England leadership writing to leadership saying there will be a significant drop in supply for a month from March 29 and until April 30.

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Local NHS leadership and staff running vaccination sites in Derbyshire have been told not to book any additional first dose appointments for that time period and close all unfilled slots.

Almost half the adults in Derbyshirer have now had the vaccination, but the NHS is warning of a shortage of jabs next monthAlmost half the adults in Derbyshirer have now had the vaccination, but the NHS is warning of a shortage of jabs next month
Almost half the adults in Derbyshirer have now had the vaccination, but the NHS is warning of a shortage of jabs next month

Matt Hanock, Health Secretary has stressed that all booked appointments will be honoured and residents waiting for second dose appointments will be able to reserve slots.

He also said that the shortfall would not have an impact on the lockdown easing roadmap – with the stay at home order still due to be lifted on March 29 and shielding ending on March 31.

This is despite one of the four tests for proceeding to the next stage being the continuation of a successful vaccination programme.Derbyshire has seen a vaccine shortage throughout late February and March which is now showing through, but had, from March 5, been expecting a “significant increase” two weeks later.

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Of those in Derbyshire who have been vaccinated, black, Asian and minority ethnic residents make up 6.35 per cent, despite representing 14.45 per cent of the county and city as of the 2011 census.However, this is a further slight improvement from the previous week’s data.

Local officials are currently not getting in-depth data to show which areas or which communities are having particularly low uptake and are calling to receive this so that they can try to assist.

Here are the statistics for the proportion of respective population aged 65+ and 16+ vaccinated in each Derbyshire district:

Amber Valley – 95.87 per cent, 48.95 per cent

Bolsover – 94.24 per cent, 48.17 per cent

Chesterfield – 93.99 per cent, 45.56 per cent

Derby – 91.87 per cent, 41.14 per cent

Derbyshire Dales – 95.62 per cent, 52.32 per cent

Erewash – 95.29 per cent, 47.74 per cent

High Peak – 94.66 per cent, 46.45 per cent

North East Derbyshire – 95.48 per cent, 51.10 per cent

South Derbyshire – 95.63 per cent, 48.76 per centHealthwatch Derbyshire, a patient watchdog, is running a survey to find out why residents in the county cannot or will not have the Covid-19 vaccine.To contribute visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/pressQ2TM2DT or call the Healthwatch Derbyshire team on 01773 880786.