MORE than 131,000 people in Tendring and Colchester have now received at least their first dose of a coronavirus vaccination.

The latest available data from the NHS, which only takes into consideration jabs given out up until March 7, shows 62,605 people in Colchester have had a vaccine.

Just under 30,000 of those residents were under the age of 65, while more than 17,000 were between the ages of 65 and 74.

In total 6,717 people aged between 75-79 have also received at least their first dose, compared to 8,768 over 80s.

In Tendring at least 69,273 residents are confirmed to have now being given their first dose, which is roughly 50 per cent of the district’s estimated population.

So far more than 27,000 Tendring residents under the age of 65 have been jabbed, compared to just under 12,000 over 80s.

Roughly 21,000 people aged between 65 and 74 have also had their vaccine, as well as more than 8,900 residents aged between 75 and 79.

Sir Bernard Jenkin, MP for Tendring and north Essex, has praised NHS workers for the success of the vaccine roll-out so far.

He said: "We have done particularly well from a very poor start, we were bottom at the league table at the start of January.

"I really hand it to the local health leaders for turning this round.

"I had to get them more freedom and flexibility and but once they were given more resources they absolutely nailed it.

"They are reaching people with the vaccine programme which other areas are not such as ethnic minorities.

"They have done extremely well."

Across the East of England more than 2.3million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have now been given out since the rollout started in December.

And throughout the country there has been more than 24,4million doses administered.

The latest figures come after transport secretary Grant Shapps revealed a combination of vaccines and testing will be needed for international travel to resume.

Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, in response to a question from Conservative Simon Jupp, he said: “We will make sure there is a route not only out of the lockdown for travel, but all being well – as long as the vaccination programme is going as it is at the moment here but also internationally – the route open to international travel again.

“I do just want to stress to the that whilst we are in control of our own vaccination programme we don’t have the same control over other countries’ vaccinations.

“And that is why we think we will require a combination of vaccination, but also of testing, in order to have international travel work again.”