More people in Herts have been vaccinated than have had COVID-19
Jim McManus and Tim Hutchings - Credit: Hertfordshire County Council
Vaccination figures continue to rise across Herts, with over 50,000 residents receiving their lifesaving COVID-19 jab.
In a media briefing today (January 22), Hertfordshire County Council's (HCC) director of public health, Jim McManus, and cabinet member for public health and prevention Tim Hutchings addressed the latest coronavirus statistics and plans for managing the virus across the county, as well as the council's approach to national lockdown.
"We're not out of the woods yet," Mr McManus said, although he remained optimistic. "More people in Hertfordshire have been vaccinated now than have ever had the virus thus far, that's a good thing."
The public health director shared that, as of today, 70 per cent of Herts' over-80s have had their first dose of the vaccine, totalling 43,047.
A further 9,243 people aged between 75 and 79 have also had their first jab, which is around 23 per cent of Herts' population of that cohort.
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As well as those who have been called up for their inoculations, 59 per cent of NHS and social care staff across the county have also had their first dose.
READ MORE: Herts and West Essex boast highest vaccination figures in East of England
Speaking of the achievements of the vaccination programmes across our county, Mr McManus that the operation was going "a lot faster than where our NHS colleagues had predicted it to go".
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"I know there are some people who want to have a moan about the vaccine programme, but actually, this is the biggest logistical exercise since the Second World War. As Tim (Hutchings) says, we have to cut the NHS some slack here."
Mr Hutchings added: "I think we, and by that I mean the whole community, is probably due a small pat on the back, because I think lockdown is working very well. But the clear message is we're not out of it yet, and we certainly can't afford to be less vigilant going forward."
Jim McManus also called the drop in cases, both on a county-wide and borough and district level "really welcome news".
