Over 90 per cent of Cheshire and Merseyside's residents aged 80 and above have had their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

New data released by NHS England shows that, to February 7, 92 per cent of that group had their opening jab, extending to 89 per cent of all over-70s.

Of residents aged between 16 and 69, 13 per cent had their first immunisation.

The figures seemingly support suggestions that in Cheshire, the NHS will have offered a first dose to the top four priority groups 'by Sunday'.

That's according to Clare Watson, Accountable Officer of NHS Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group — the body organising the vaccine roll-out in Cheshire.

Ms Watson made her comments at Cheshire West Covid-19 Outbreak Board meeting, which also saw council Chief Executive Andrew Lewis say: "75,500 people have had their first dose of the vaccine since it started back in December.

"That's a 93 per cent take up rate for the over-75 age group. It is great to see that moving forward.

"We are now moving to the completion of the first four priority groups. We are on track to vaccinate all those by next week.

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"It was a big step forward when we got final confirmation that we could open a mass vaccination centre at Chester Racecourse."

In the north west, Cheshire and Merseyside's over-70 rate sits level with Greater Manchester, but behind Lancashire and South Cumbria — who have also vaccinated the greatest proportion of those over-80 with 94 per cent.

In the under-70 bracket, both Cheshire and Merseyside and Lancashire and South Cumbria have jabbed 13 per cent of people, with Greater Manchester slightly behind with 12 per cent.

However, Cheshire and Merseyside does the lead the way in the portion of over-80s with two doses — with its 14 per cent ahead of the 13 and 11 per cents of Greater Manchester and Lancashire and South Cumbria.