A LONGSTANDING politician says the Government should be planning for extra capacity at mass vaccination centres to relieve the burden on the NHS.

Sir Bernard Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex, expressed his concerns over the country's vaccination programme on Conservative Home today.

He said the Government's foresight in placing huge orders for Covid-19 vaccines means there is now "real hope" the country will emerge from the pandemic well ahead of its peers.

However, Sir Bernard said unless this early success is sustained during the weeks ahead, the demands for sending pupils back to school will be wasted breath.

Just last week the vaccine rate for NHS Suffolk and North East Essex was at the bottom of the country, with just 36 per cent of over 80s being vaccinated.

But this figure has rapidly increased since then, and now more than 70 per cent of over 80s in the area have now received their first dose of the vaccine.

NHS bosses have also confirmed almost all care home residents in north Essex have received their first Covid-19 jab.

Sir Bernard said: "The Government is betting the ranch that NHS England can deliver the vaccine programme with the minimum of support from local government or from the Armed Forces.

Gazette:

"Why only last week was a request of military assistance allowed to support a new vaccine centre this week in Clacton: clearly it was very welcome, but why so late?"

He said the existing NHS workforce is working flat-out to deal with Covid patient flow and to deliver present vaccination capacity.

"How long can this intensity be sustained?" Sir Bernard added.

"The Government should be planning to have additional vaccination capacity at massed vaccination centres, to relieve the burden on the NHS, and to provide increased resilience to the vaccination programme.

"To stand this up quickly, the Government should engage local authorities and the 10,000 military personnel held at high readiness by the Ministry of Defence.

"The last thing any government needs is to be a victim of its own success."