More than 360,000 people in the North West who are the most vulnerable to Covid have had their spring booster jab, six weeks since the latest phase of the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme began.

The rapid rollout means the biggest and fastest vaccination programme in health service history, has protected more than half of those eligible in the region, including people aged 75 and over, older adult care home residents and those who are immunosuppressed.

The NHS is inviting thousands of people across the region for their spring booster weekly as more people become eligible for their jab.

In total, almost 700,000 people will be eligible for this dose in the North West, in line with JCVI guidance.

Local NHS teams are also contacting care homes in their area, similar to previous rollouts, to arrange spring boosters for people who are eligible.

The NHS is encouraging those aged 75 and over and anyone who is immunosuppressed to come forward as soon as they are eligible, to ensure they are receiving the maximum possible protection.

Dr Linda Charles-Ozuzu, Regional Director of Commissioning for NHS England and NHS Improvement and Senior Responsible Officer for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme in the North West, said: “It’s important that we protect the most vulnerable from COVID-19 and in just over six weeks, NHS staff and volunteers have worked incredibly hard to deliver the spring booster vaccine to more than half of those eligible.

“When eligible, don’t delay getting your spring booster jab. It’s easier than ever to get an appointment by using the online National Booking Service, calling 119 or finding a walk-in site.”

In the North West, more than 15.1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given, including more than 4 million booster doses, part of 122 million nationally.

Healthcare workers and volunteers have delivered jabs at hundreds of sites including shopping centres, racecourses, theatres, and places of worship, as well as hospitals, GP practices, care homes and community pharmacies.

Recent research from the UK Health Security Agency showed that the NHS booster programme has helped prevent around 186,000 hospitalisations nationally since mid-December.