Telford mass vaccination centre opens

Marion Thomas and her 85-year-old husband were among the first inside the centre on Thursday

A mass vaccination centre has opened in Telford in a bid to improve low rates of inoculations.

Figures released last week showed fewer people had received a jab in Shropshire than anywhere else in England.

Telford International Centre is one of six new sites that have started vaccinations and ultimately hopes to deliver 1,000 a day.

Marion Thomas, 80, was among the first patients and said she was "very, very glad to be getting it done".

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'Means a lot'

Mrs Thomas and her 85-year-old husband, from Wellington, queued outside the centre on Thursday.

"We've been very careful, mainly because our daughter works in the hospital, and we've done it for their sakes and and family's sake," she said.

The waiting room inside Telford International Centre

"It means a lot and we still have to be careful for the next three weeks anyway. I was very, very glad to be getting it done... it's been an anxious time for everyone."

Fewer than half of the over-80s in the county had received their first dose of a vaccine, figures from the government revealed last week.

The age group is listed as a priority by government and seen as a key indicator of the vaccination roll-out.

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By 17 January, 14,031 over-80s, or 49% of that age group in the county - including Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin council areas - had their first dose, compared with 76% in neighbouring Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Figures released on Thursday showed 19,135 over-80s had been inoculated by 24 January, which equated to 66.8% of that age group, still among the lowest rates in England.

Across the UK, the aim is to reach two million vaccinations a week, with everyone in the top four priority groups - up to 15 million people - given a first dose by mid-February.

Telford International Centre is one of six new sites that have started inoculating people

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