The North East 'has worked absolute wonders' with vaccination programme, Matt Hancock says

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has praised vaccine roll-out in the North East, saying the region has “worked absolute wonders”.

Mr Hancock made the comments during a Covid-19 briefing from Downing Street on Friday afternoon.

Responding to a question about cancelled vaccine clinics in GP surgeries in the North East due to lack of supply, the Health Secretary said the vaccination programme has been “equal and fair UK-wide” and supply challenges are “faced equally” throughout the country.

The Health Secretary told the press conference: “The North East has done a brilliant job on vaccinating. It came out of the blocks really fast and has worked absolute wonders. “

After thanking volunteers and NHS staff in the North East for their work on getting the vaccinations done, he continued: “Every single person getting access to their jab in the North East is as important as in every other part of the country and I will make sure that the programme delivers according to those principle.

“I don’t know what more I can say about my enthusiasm for what the North East has done and really, really nailed it in this vaccination programme so far.”

According to the latest available data, a total of 2,620,474 jabs were given to people in the North East and Yorkshire between December 8 and February 25, including 2,527,520 first and 92,954 second doses.

At the start of the year, he North East was in the top spot for total population vaccinated – but earlier in February it fell to sixth place.