SIX parts of Colchester have recorded almost no Covid cases in a week, with the vaccine delivery across England set to be ramped up further.
The number of jabs given out is expected to top four million this week, nearly double the usual rate.
The Government hopes all over 50s will receive at least one jab by the end of March, two weeks ahead of schedule.
A large shipment of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has arrived to the UK from India, which the Government says makes this new target achievable.
So far more than 24 million people have already received a first jab in the UK.
If phase one of the vaccine programme is complete by the end of March, work will then start of vaccinating the remaining adults not in groups one to nine of the Government’s priority list.
The ramping up of vaccine distribution follows a row over the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which several EU countries have chosen against using due to concerns over side effects.
The World Health Organisation and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have insisted the vaccine is safe.
Mr Johnson said there was “no reason at all” to stop its rollout.
He said said the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was “one of toughest and most experienced regulators in the world”.
“They see no reason at all to discontinue the vaccination programme... for either of the vaccines that we’re currently using,” he said.
The Covid infection rate continues to fall in Colchester and across north Essex.
In the week to March 11 it was 47.3 cases per 100,000 people, down from 63.2 cases per 100,000 people a week earlier.
A total of 92 cases were confirmed in the borough in the week to March 11.
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Tendring’s infection rate was 28.7 cases per 100,000 people in this week, down from 55.9 cases per 100,000 people a week earlier.
Six parts of the Colchester borough also recorded almost zero cases of the virus in a week.
The figures, from a hotspots map compiled using Government data, show Layer-de-la-Haye, Abberton and Mersea East, West Mersea, Tiptree, Monkwick, Stanway and Horkesley Heath, and Langham and Dedham all had less than three cases in the seven days to March 10.
The highest number of cases were seen in Parson’s Heath with 17 whilst Greenstead second with ten.
All but five parts of the borough recorded five or less cases in this week, according to the data.
The other areas with the highest number of cases are Old Heath and Rowhedge with seven, Shrub End with six and Abbey Field with six.
Here are the latest number of cases for each part of Colchester:
- Parson’s Heath - 17
- Greenstead - ten
- Old Heath & Rowhedge - seven
- Shrub End - six
- Abbey Field - six
- Lexden - five
- Wivenhoe & University - five
- Central Colchester - five
- Mile End & Braiswick - five
- Prettygate & Westlands - four
- Marks Tey & Wakes Colne - four
- New Town & Hythe - four
- Highwoods - three
- West Bergholt & Wormingford - three
- Layer-de-la-Haye, Abberton & Mersea East - less than three
- West Mersea - less than three
- Tiptree - less than three
- Monkwick - less than three
- Stanway - less than three
- Horkesley Heath, Langham & Dedham - less than three
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