Greater Manchester will see its vaccine supply cut by around a third in February, NHS data has shown.
The Health Service Journal (HSJ) revealed that available doses for the North West will fall to around 200,000 in the second week of February – which is 110,000 fewer than the number of jabs given in the week up to January 24.
Vaccine supply is set to be slowed in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and South Cumbria as well as Greater Manchester.
According to the HSJ, the move was being made for two reasons: National shortages and to allow other regions to ‘catch up’.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said he was “far from convinced” that easing supply to the North West was “right or fair”.
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Manchester MP Lucy Powell also stated she was “not sure this is the right approach.”
I will be asking further questions about this. As one of the hardest-hit regions, I am far from convinced that this is right or fair. ? https://t.co/P3bycjE3K1
I’m not sure this is the right approach. Surely we should be getting as many vaccines done as possible where that capacity is. And we have been one of the hardest hit areas – hospitalisations, deaths, longest lockdown, so surely makes sense to protect our population asap https://t.co/6c2b30QhZe
NHS England’s North West directorate said in a statement that the area is being “fully supplied with all the vaccinations needed to offer vaccination to everyone across the region aged 70 and above, as well as clinically extremely vulnerable patients, and health and social care staff”.
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Stats have shown that the North West has vaccinated over 12 per cent of its total population so far – more than any other area except the South West.
In Greater Manchester alone, all care home residents have now received their first dose of the vaccine.
More than 80% of all Over 80s in England have had the jab.
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Total vaccinations in the UK have now topped 6.8 million.
The government has stated that it is still on target to achieve its aim of vaccinating four key groups by February 15 – care home residents and staff, frontline workers, Over 70s and the clinically vulnerable.
News
Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre
Daisy Jackson
Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.
A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.
Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.
It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.
Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
The Manc -
27th January 2021 
