The first delivery of the Oxford and AstraZeneca vaccine took place today at the Oakham and Melton vaccination centres ready for residents to receive it!

Rutland MP Alicia Kearns says every week almost a thousand vaccinations have taken place at most of our vaccination hubs in our patch since they opened, including the Billesdon practice.

The MP continued: "All our vaccination centres received deliveries of Pfizer vaccines earlier this week as well.

"That means that I understand almost 7,000 residents of Rutland and Melton have been vaccinated at these three sites alone and some care homes."

"In addition, residents are being vaccinated at Leicester General as well as at vaccination hubs in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire depending on where their GP practice is located."

The deliveries come as Rutland Heathcare warned yesterday that the delivery of vaccines has been "erratic and unpredicatable," as previously reported by Nub News.

Mrs Kearns continued: "This week I expect thousands of vaccinations to take place in Rutland and Melton given both Oakham and Melton vaccination centres will have both the Pfizer and Oxford & AstraZeneca vaccines.

"According to the Public Health Lead for Leicestershire and Rutland, each of our vaccination centres has received one shipment of vaccinations a week since it opened.

"For the Pfizer vaccine, that means a delivery of 975 vaccinations each time and a centre has five days to administer all 975 before they expire. The 975 limit is due to the protective packaging and careful storage the Pfizer/BionTech vaccine requires.

"With the Oxford & AstraZeneca vaccine now available the NHS will be able to request more regular deliveries, and we will gradually see an increase in vaccinations each week."

She added: "I recognise that people are understandably anxious to be vaccinated, but please rest assured the programme continues apace and please wait to be contacted by the NHS for your vaccination date."