Cambridge-developed AstraZeneca vaccine rolled out to GP practices from today

• Watch Sarah Cooper's video report

The new Cambridge-developed AstraZeneca vaccine is being rolled out to GP practices across the region from today. 

The vaccination offers 70% protection against Covid-19 and was developed alongside Oxford University scientists.

So far, thousands of people in the UK have received either an AstraZeneca jab or a similar vaccination developed by Pfizer. The NHS say reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare and no long-term complications have been reported.

The Government's set an ambitious target of vaccinating around 13 million people by mid-February.  

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has admitted the target of vaccinating that many people in the highest priority groups - including the elderly, those with clinical needs, care home residents and staff and frontline NHS workers - by February 15 was "stretching".

Some 1.3 million people have already received either the Pfizer/BioNTech or the Cambridge-based AstraZeneca jab.

But Mr Johnson confirmed that just 10 per cent of care home residents had received a vaccine, along with 14 per cent of staff.

Seven mass vaccination centres will open across the country next week - including one here Stevenage.

14 new Covid-19 vaccination sites will also be going live across Suffolk and North East Essex. They'll open next week, beginning on 11th January.

• New Covid-19 vaccination sites confirmed across Suffolk and Essex

The vaccine will be distributed to these groups in the following order, according to the list drawn up by the JCVI:

1 - Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers

2 - Those aged 80 and over and frontline health and social care workers

3 - Those aged 75 and over

4 - Those aged 70 and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals

5 - Those aged 65 of age and over

6 - All individuals aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality

7 - Those aged 60 and over

8 - Those aged 55 years and over

9 - Those aged 50 years of age and over

• Check the latest figures on how many people in the UK have been vaccinated

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