MORE than 90 per cent of over 80s in north Essex have received the coronavirus vaccine, official figures show.

And extra vaccination sessions are being run in Colchester to make up for appointments lost due to the snow.

Vaccinations are due to resume at Colchester United’s stadium today.

Health bosses had to temporarily close the mass vaccination centre this week following severe weather disruption.

However, Essex Partnership University Trust, which is running the vaccine programme at the site, has arranged for extra vaccination sessions to take place this weekend and next weekend.

The latest figures from NHS England yesterday revealed a total of 57,077 over 80s in Suffolk and north east Essex have been given their first dose of the jab.

The figures also showed just 4,877 over 80s in the area had received their second dose as of Sunday.

A total of 78,127 people aged under 70 have been given their first dose, along with 43,381 people aged between 70 to 74 and 40,872 people aged 75 to 79.

While 1,323 residents aged under 70 in the area have also had their second dose, just 104 people between 70 and 74 have received theirs.

The second dose has been given to 238 75 to 79-year-olds.

The collective number of doses to be administered in Suffolk and north east Essex stands at 225,999.

The area is slightly lagging behind mid and south Essex where 229,362 doses of the jab have been administered.

John Spence, Essex County Council’s cabinet member for adults and health, said: “The continued roll out of vaccinations across Essex is also progressing positively and so it is important that we all support these efforts.

“The light is at the end of the tunnel but we must not get complacent now.”

Despite cases and infection rates in most parts of the borough dropping significantly over the past week, this is not the case in one part of Colchester.

Stanway has seen a week on week increase in its Covid infection rate of 116.7 per cent.

Its infection rate is now 569.2 cases per 100,000 people, the highest infection rate in the borough.

It is now back in the second most at risk category using the Government data.

Three other areas have seen a week on week rise in their infection rate - Lexden, West Bergholt and Wormingford and Wivenhoe and University - although the rate remains much lower in these areas.

Eight new coronavirus deaths have been recorded at East Suffolk and North Essex Trust in the latest 24-hour period.

NHS England figures show 1,083 people had died in the trust which runs Colchester Hospital as of Wednesday.

That was an increase of eight compared to Tuesday, when there were 1,075.

It means there have been 66 deaths in the past week, down from 73 the previous week.

The victims were among 9,337 deaths recorded across the East of England.