December 16, 2020 12.32 pm This story is over 54 months old

Most NHS staff won’t get COVID-19 vaccine until Spring 2021

1,200 high risk staff will receive jab in January
Janet Judson, 84, a retired nurse, was the first in Lincolnshire to get the COVID vaccine from lead nurse Leanne Belton in December 2020. | Photo: ULHT

Most Lincolnshire NHS staff will not receive the COVID-19 vaccine until the end of March 2021, according to hospital bosses.

Andrew Morgan, CEO of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT), told Lincolnshire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday: “We want to be able to have vaccinated all of the NHS staff in the system by the end of March.”

However, he added: “There’s a lot of planning that needs to happen to be able to make that a reality.”

Mr Morgan assured councillors these are aspirations, not fact.

Some 1,200 high risk staff at ULHT should receive the vaccine by the middle of January 2021, with the remaining 6,800 staff due by the end of March.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff, as well as other staff at a high risk exposure to coronavirus will be prioritised for the vaccine.

Data shows that these groups are more susceptible to the health risks of coronavirus.

So far, 81% of front-line staff have been vaccinated against flu for a reinforced protection during the winter season.

Nationally, the BBC reported more than 130,000 people have been vaccinated against coronavirus in the first week of the UK’s vaccination programme.

Localised figures have not yet been disclosed by NHS England.

Independent South Holland Councillor Christopher Brewis said he finds it “mind-boggling” that data cannot be revealed about how many vaccines have been given locally.

He suspected the majority of the population would not receive it until March 2022.

Andrew Morgan reiterated that it is “difficult to be precise” of the vaccine rollout timescale, and that he “can’t be held to that” due to vaccine availability.

More large vaccination centres are set to open in the next few weeks across Lincolnshire, but no date is set.

Grantham and Louth already have vaccination centres open.