Greater Manchester vaccine supply to be cut by a third in February
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”.
Manchester MP Lucy Powell also stated she was “not sure this is the right approach.”
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”.
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.
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.