All adults now able to book a vaccine appointment in the North East and North Yorkshire
All adults in the North East and Yorkshire region can now book themselves in for their Covid jab.
The NHS is preparing for huge demand - when the first group of people in their 20s became eligible, they booked more than one million appointments nationally in a single day.
Dr Yvette Oade, NHS Regional Clinical Lead for Covid Vaccination in North East and Yorkshire welcomed the moment and said it is just as vital to get your jab now as it was on day one.
NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens announced the move today and hailed the moment as “a watershed” moment.
Today’s milestone comes fewer than 200 days since the very first Covid vaccine outside of a clinical trial was given, to Maggie Keenan in Coventry.
Dr Yvette Oade said: “This is truly a remarkable moment for the North East and Yorkshire region and England: whoever you are, if you are aged 18 or older and you are yet to book your Covid jab, today should be the day you make that happen.
“Extensive planning and the tireless hard work of staff and volunteers have made the NHS vaccine programme an historic success.
“Now we are delivering a final push to protect the North East and Yorkshire region and it is just as vital now as it was on day one of the programme to get yourself vaccinated – if you haven’t done so already, please play your part and come forward to make your first appointment or your second dose.”
"We’re in the final weeks of this historic drive to get everyone aged 18 and over their first Covid-19 vaccine, having already vaccinated more than 5.5 million of the local population in only six months, and ensured that over 4 million have had their second jab, too.
“We know that getting both doses is vital to maximising the positive impact of the vaccines, if you’re offered the chance to bring forward your second jab, please do so and most importantly come forward for both appointments, and follow the tens of millions who have already got themselves this essential protection from Covid-19.”