GPs will begin offering the Covid vaccine in the mid Essex area this week as part of the biggest NHS immunisation programme in history.

The first local vaccination services run by family doctors and their teams will open across mid and south Essex this week, as the vaccine roll out gains further momentum.

Five local vaccination centres are launching this week and further sites will be added in the coming weeks. The services beginning vaccinations this week are located as follows:

Beacon Medical Group, Danbury Medical Centre

Puzey Family Practice, Rochford

Stifford Clays Health Centre, Grays

Nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and other NHS staff will work alongside GPs to vaccinate those aged 80 and over, as well as care home workers and other health care workers, identified as priority groups for the vaccine.

Residents of care homes will also receive their first vaccine shortly after distributors finalise new, stringent processes to ensure safe delivery of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine.

Like hospital staff at Basildon University Hospital (part of NHS Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust), who launched their campaign last week, local practice teams are working rapidly to redesign their sites and put in place safe processes to meet the tough logistical challenges of offering the vaccination.

The local NHS will contact people in the priority groups when it is their turn to receive the vaccine and local residents are being asked not to contact their practice enquiring about vaccination.

Dr Ronan Fenton, Medical Director for Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership, said: "Our local GPs, nurses, pharmacists, paramedics and other primary care staff are working together to ensure they can play their part in administering this life-saving vaccine.

"We will be vaccinating those aged 80 and over, as well as care home and health care workers first. You will be contacted and invited for your vaccination when it is your turn. We would urge you not to contact the local NHS enquiring about vaccination as they will contact you. This is a phased vaccination programme which will expand over the coming months."