MP urges Melton and Rutland residents to get a Covid booster jab when called

The sign on Burton Road indicating the turning for the Melton Vaccination Centre EMN-211125-094007001

Latest figures show 34,477 adults in Melton and Rutland have now had the top-up dose and Mrs Kearns said it was vitally important that others did so too with cases being detected in this country of the Omicron variant.

The booster programme has been expanded to all adults aged 18 and over and all eligible people will be offered the top-up vaccination by the end of January.

Mrs Kearns said this afternoon (Monday): “40 per cent of us in Rutland and Melton have had our booster jabs – an incredible achievement, and our most important weapon in our battle with COVID-19.

Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Melton EMN-210612-151522001

“Given the new Omicron variant, it’s so important that every adult gets the booster jab when called.

“Thanks to everyone who is making our world-beating vaccination effort happen – especially the volunteers who do amazing work to make our clinics run.

“When you get contacted by the NHS to get your booster, please get it as soon as possible.

“It’s the best way to make you, and your loved ones, safer from the virus – and I’m proud that so many in Rutland and Melton have done so already.”

The latest coronavirus infection rate in Melton borough is now well above the national average, with 642 cases per 100,000 population, compared to 458 in England as a whole.

There were 330 new cases locally in the week to November 29 and there have been 124 Covid-related deaths in the borough since the pandemic began.

Latest statistics show 82 per cent of residents aged over 12 are now fully vaccinated and 88 per cent have had at least their first dose.

As well as health professionals, the local booster roll-out programme is supported by around 400 military personnel, including the men and women of 2 Royal Anglian Regiment, based at Kendrew Barracks in Cottesmore.

It is exactly a year today when the UK became the first nation to approve the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine - 115 million doses of the vaccine have now been administered across the UK with over 20 million people receiving a booster jab.