Newcastle's Covid vaccine allocation 'not enough'

Some vaccination sites in the city have closed

Newcastle's Covid vaccine allocation is not enough to protect people against the virus, a health boss has warned.

Cases have risen by half a million in a week in the UK and outbreaks have been reported in the city's care homes.

The city council's interim director of public health, Lorna Smith, said "limited" vaccine availability was "quite challenging".

The council was working with the NHS to make sure vaccines were "reaching those most at risk still", she said.

Just under 3% of people in the city are thought to have Covid, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Couple of hundred'

The city's vaccination rates have lagged behind neighbouring areas and the national average throughout the pandemic.

Just under 54% of those eligible have had a booster dose compared with 68.6% across England.

For first and second doses the rate is 75% and 70%, well below the national average of 93.2% and 87.2%.

Ms Smith told Newcastle City Council's health scrutiny committee the number of vaccines was not enough to substantially increase these numbers.

"It is really difficult if we are only getting a couple of hundred or not very many each week," she said.

"We do anticipate there will be more supply coming with the autumn campaign but currently supply is quite challenging in terms of how we allocate it and where to make sure it is all used."

The rate of infections per 100,000 people across the North East, as of 26 June, was:

• Northumberland - 253.54

• Gateshead - 244.12 

• North Tyneside - 231.72

• County Durham - 224.14 

• Sunderland - 208.03

• Newcastle - 199.53

• South Tyneside - 173.36