Covid-19: Concern over speed London is vaccinating over-80s

Vaccines are now being administered in chemists

London's mayor Sadiq Khan has said he is "hugely concerned" the city has one of the lowest rates in the country for vaccinating people aged over 80.

NHS England figures indicate about half of elderly people in the North East have received their first dose, while only about three in 10 have in London.

A "major incident" was declared in London last week, with research showing one in 30 people had the virus.

London continues to have the highest rate of new cases of any region.

Latest figures from between 3 and 10 January show the city has a Covid-19 infection rate of 864.9 people per 100,000, although that is down from a rate of 1,043.9 the previous week.

The number of people with Covid-19 in London hospitals was at a record 7,840 patients on Thursday, an increase of eight per cent in the past week. Across the whole of England, hospital admissions have increased by 17% to 32,925.

More than 10,500 people have died with the disease in London since the start of the pandemic.

Mr Khan said: "I am hugely concerned that Londoners have received only a 10th of the vaccines that have been given across the country.

"The situation in London is critical, with rates of the virus extremely high, which is why it's so important that vulnerable Londoners are given access to the vaccine as soon as possible."

He said the number of vaccines the city received should "reflect our size, density and the level of need in our city".

Mr Khan later said he had had a "constructive" meeting with vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi.

A spokesman for the NHS in London said: "We have more than 100 vaccination sites up and running across London, including the NHS Covid-19 vaccination centre in the ExCeL London and more are opening all the time.

"London is getting its fair share of vaccine supply for the priority groups we have to vaccinate by mid-February."

'Sobering reminder'

A temporary mortuary that can hold up to 1,300 bodies has recently been built near Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, north-west London.

It will extend capacity for public mortuaries by 20%.

Westminster City Council chief executive Stuart Love, who is leading the pan-London response, said local authorities had worked with faith communities in the capital to ensure all religious requirement were met.

"This really is a visual, sobering reminder that we are still in the midst of a severe pandemic. We want to give people hope but we are not there yet.

"This just re-emphasises the message of staying at home and looking after your loved ones."

There are more than 100 vaccination sites up and running across Londonm according to the NHS

During the first wave of the pandemic, four temporary mortuaries were built in London to provide extra capacity.

Mr Love said those sites were decommissioned and a decision was made to just open one hub.

Newham Council has enlisted 450 volunteers to combat anti-vax rumours in the borough.

The "Covid Champions" are undergoing training to help spread factual information about the vaccine.

Jason Strelitz, director of public health in the borough, said the council needed to "strengthen community connections" to get across the changing advice and give legitimate information in 14 different languages.