Covid: Lancashire Council to seek clarity over vaccine supply cut

Vaccine supplies in the North West of England are being cut by a third in February

Lancashire County Council is to ask the government for "clarity" over a cut to Covid-19 vaccination supplies.

The NHS said supplies in North West England are being cut by a third to allow areas that have vaccinated fewer people to catch up.

The council's Labour opposition leader Azhar Ali said the county should not be penalised for its rollout success.

He said it was "absolutely vital" the vaccination programme is allowed to "continue unabated".

The council's chief executive is to write to Health Secretary Matt Hancock to seek reassurances.

Nikki Kanani, NHS improvement director, recently told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that vaccine delivery was being changed to address variations in regional vaccination rates.

Ms Kanani said: "We need to target our deliveries to make sure that they are going to areas where there are more people left to vaccinate in the priority cohorts."

However, Mr Hancock has said Lancashire would get its "fair share" in order to meet the mid-February target to give a first jab to the most vulnerable groups, and dismissed "reports circulating on the internet".

Mr Ali called for the authority to contact the Prime Minister demanding any diversion policy be reversed.

He said: "I want everyone in the country to be vaccinated, but I don't see why the success of the rollout in Lancashire means we should have to forego vaccinations.

"It's our duty as elected members to ensure all people who need this vaccination get it.

"If it is a supply problem then the government needs to address it. If there isn't a supply problem, we need to stand up for people in Lancashire and make sure they get what they deserve."

He then accepted a "friendly amendment" from Conservative councillor Charlie Edwards who instead requested that County Hall chief executive Angie Ridgwell write to Mr. Hancock to seek "clarity" over the situation.

The call comes as Blackburn with Darwen's Director of Public Health said more jabs need to be rolled out in east Lancashire where cases remain high.

Professor Dominic Harrison said areas with high transmission of the virus need extra help to avoid further deaths and damage to the economy.

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