MORE than 300,000 people have received a coronavirus vaccine in Dorset, according to the latest government data. 

Figures released by NHS England show that 308,846 doses have been given across the county, with more than 295,000 residents receiving at least one dose.

This means that compared to every CCG in England, NHS Dorset have delivered the twelfth highest total number of vaccines. 

However, in the seven days to February 28, 33,840 jabs were given in Dorset.

This number is slightly down on the previous week's data which showed that more than 34,000 were vaccinated in the week up to February 21 in the county.

The number of people vaccinated with at least one dose in Dorset:

How many people have been given their second jab in Dorset? 

The latest vaccine figures report that a total of the 9,560 Dorset residents have received both doses to date. This is broken down as:

7,203 people aged over 80

45 people aged 75 to 79

61 people aged 37 aged 70 to 74

131 people aged 65 to 69

2,120 people aged under 65s

The week before, up to February 21, the total number of Dorset residents to have received both doses was 9,141.

This means that in the seven days to February 28 only an additional 419 people were given their second jab. 

Therefore out of the total 33,840 jabs given in the seven days to February 28, only 419 of those were second doses of the coronavirus vaccine.  

Bournemouth Echo:

(PA Graphics)

How many people in England have been vaccinated so far?

Initially the NHS reached out to the top four priority groups, including those over the age of 70 and health and care staff, aiming to offer the jab to everyone in this group by mid-February.

In the week ending the 28th February an additional 2,249,002 people were reported to have received an NHS vaccination for COVID-19 in England.

This took the total number of people vaccinated with at least one dose as of the 28th February to 17,179,491.

Of those vaccinated, 598,345 people have received a 2nd dose, taking the total number of vaccinations given to 17,777,836.

When will people get their second dose?

The second dose of the jab can be delayed between four and 12 weeks. This means people receiving their jab today may be getting their second vaccine in May.

Who is getting the vaccine now? 

The people currently on the priority list include:

- All adults over the age of 50

- Most frontline health and social care staff and elderly care home residents

- Clinically extremely vulnerable people

- Everyone over 16 with a health condition which increases their risk from Covid, including everyone on the learning disability register, held by GPs in England, and others with severe learning disabilities identified as being at risk

- Adult carers of disabled people and younger adults in care homes

Which priority group will be offered the jab next?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) says the next people to be offered the jab, from around mid-April, will be, in descending order:

- All those aged 40-49 years

- All those aged 30-39 years

- All those aged 18-29 years

The committee decided against giving priority to people in particular jobs, such as teaching, because they said this would be more complex to deliver and might slow down the vaccine programme.

I’m over 70 and I haven’t been offered my jab yet, what should I do?

The NHS changed messaging from ‘wait until we contact you’ to ‘contact us’ to ask people to book their jab.

Over-70s can book through the NHS website or by calling 119.