More than 60 per cent of those aged over 80 in the area that includes Maldon have now received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Maldon MP John Whittingdale last night (Friday, 22 January) released an update on the progress of the vaccine rollout in Maldon and the surrounding areas.

The MP attended a briefing meeting for Essex MPs with Nadhim Zahawi MP, Minister responsible for the Vaccine Taskforce.

Following the meeting, Mr Whittingdale said: "It is an extraordinary achievement that we have already delivered 5.4 million vaccinations to those most at risk of Covid across the UK.

"In the Mid and South Essex Health area, 70,000 people have received the vaccine including well over 60 per cent of those aged over 80."

Mr Zahawi also assured the MPs that efforts across the East of England were being stepped up and that he was confident the Government's target of vaccinating all those in the top four priority groups by mid-February would be achieved.

Mr Whittingdale added: "Sadly we have seen some serious outbreaks in our local care homes recently and I was also encouraged to hear from him that all those resident in care homes or working there should be vaccinated by the end of January."

There was also more news on local vaccinations sites. As well as current delivery of vaccines the three major local hospitals (Broomfield, Basildon and Southend), at the new mass centre at Runwell and at 25 local vaccination sites including Maldon District Council offices, the Danbury Medical Centre and Crouch Vale Medical Centre in South Woodham Ferrers, seven more centres are planned to open shortly.

Mr Whittingdale added: "I would like to pay tribute to all those doing such a fantastic job to roll out the vaccine and in doing so to save lives.

"We should be proud that the UK is in the top four countries in the world in delivery of the vaccine to its own population, ahead of America and all of the rest of Europe."