ALL ELDERLY care home residents in the Meon Valley who wanted a Covid vaccination have now received it.

MP Flick Drummond announced the news, adding that all staff who wanted the jab have also been given it except for around a dozen in one home.

She claims that they will get it soon.

The completion of the care homes vaccination programme in Meon Valley is ten days ahead of the government’s January 31 deadline for this top priority group.

“I am delighted the most vulnerable in our community now have the vaccine and will soon be protected from Coronavirus,” said Ms Drummond.

“This a massive boost to our fight to lower infections and deaths and I am very pleased it has happened ahead of schedule.

“Many thanks need to go to the NHS, to our local GPs and all those who have been involved in getting the vaccine into our care homes. It has been a mammoth effort.”

Flick added that progress to vaccinate the over 80s in the constituency was also very good but she reminded people to wait for a call to come forward for the jab.

“I know this age group is very keen to receive their vaccination but I would like them to remain patient. The NHS will be in touch and it will happen."

The government wants the first four priority groups - care home residents, over 70s, health and care workers and the clinically extremely vulnerable vaccinated by mid-February.

Flick and her team called all the homes this week to check on progress.

Latest figures from the NHS released today show that in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 166,417 people have been vaccinated and this is one of the best performing parts of England.

A breakdown of this headline figure shows that 74,107 over 80s and 72,178 under 80s have received their first dose. In addition, 17,162 over 80s and 2,970 under 80s have received a second dose.