Elderly people in Merseyside targeted in Covid-19 vaccine phone scam

Among the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine are those aged over 80

Scammers are using the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine to try to con money out of elderly people, a council said.

In a recorded phone message, residents in the New Ferry area of Merseyside are being prompted to book non-existent Covid-19 "vaccine appointments".

Wirral Council has told people to "be on their guard".

Several thousand people across the United Kingdom have already received the vaccine after the Covid-19 jab was first administered on Tuesday.

Vaccine

Among the first to be vaccinated are people aged over 80 as well as some health and care staff.

In Merseyside, the two main hospital sites where the vaccine is being administered are Aintree and Clatterbridge.

People will also be vaccinated at the Countess of Chester NHS Trust.

Up to four million more doses of the vaccine are expected by the end of the month.