NEARLY all people aged 65 and over in Herefordshire have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, figures reveal.

NHS data shows 259,288 people in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire clinical commissioning group area had received their first jab by February 21.

Of those, 173,629 were aged 65 or over ­– equating to 95% of the population in that age group, according to the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

Across England, around 9.4 million people aged 65 and over had received their first dose of a vaccine by February 21, covering 90% of the age group – although the dosage figure includes a handful of people with registered addresses in Scotland or Wales.

A small number of people are also not included due to their age being unknown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said first jabs had now been offered to everyone in the top four vaccine priority groups – consisting of older care home residents, care home workers, people aged over 70, frontline health and social care workers and the clinically extremely vulnerable.

Vaccinations are now being provided to those next up in the priority groups – people aged 65 and over, carers and those aged 16 and over with a condition which puts them at a higher risk of serious illness and death from Covid-19.

The Government has pledged to offer vaccinations to everyone aged over 50 by the end of April.

The data also shows 85,659 people aged between 16 and 64 in Herefordshire and Worcestershire had received a first vaccination dose.

It means 40% of people aged 16 and over living in the area have received their first jab.

Across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, 2,087 people had received their second dose by February 21.