Vaccine roll-out “a great success” in Devon

More than 375,000 people in Devon have received a coronavirus vaccine so far – 31.3% of the county’s population.

In its weekly data release, NHS England has published vaccination figures by constituency for the first time.

Totnes ranks third among the 55 constituencies in the South West, with an estimated 39.2% of its population having received at least one dose.

The next highest figures in Devon are in Torridge and West Devon (37.3%), Newton Abbot (33.7%) and South West Devon (33.7%).

With the UK vaccination programme averaging more than 2.5 million doses a week, the Prime Minister aims to ensure every adult is offered a jab by the end of July.

More than 19 million people have received a vaccine so far, equivalent to 1 in 3 adults, including over 1.7 million in the South West.

This is the third highest per capita, behind only the UAE and Israel. In addition, only two countries have administered more doses than the UK – China and the USA.

Everyone in the top four priority groups has now been offered a vaccine and invites are now going out to those in priority groups 5 to 9.

The latest figures show that two-thirds of those aged 65 to 69 have now been vaccinated.

Julian Ellacott, chairman of South West Conservatives, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s roadmap to take cautious and irreversible steps out of lockdown, which will be guided by the data and not dates.

He said: “The vaccination roll-out continues to be a great success in the South West and across the country.

“Over 1.7 million people in the South West have now had at least one dose – over 30% of the population – thanks to a huge team effort from NHS staff, volunteers and everyone else involved.

“I urge everyone to have their vaccine when called on, as every jab will bring us one step closer to normality.”