BOTH the Pfizer-BionTech and Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines are arriving on the Isle of Wight imminently for the next round of Covid jabs.

Island MP Bob Seely revealed that between 3,500 and 4,000 Islanders have already had a first vaccination, and by the middle of next week this number could increase to 10,000 people.

Speaking to the County Press, he also said the Riverside Centre would soon be opening as a vaccine hub capable of vaccinating 500 people a day.

He said it was a race against time to get the most vulnerable vaccinated on the Isle of Wight. 

At the moment, the Island has had between 2.5 per cent and 2.9 per cent of the population vaccinated, which is behind Hampshire but ahead of the rest of the UK — according to the MP.

Read more: What we know so far about vaccines 

Mr Seely said he had been in a WhatsApp conversation overnight with secretary of state for health Matt Hancock, pushing for the Isle of Wight to be considered a priority.

He said: "We need to push hard to to get our priority groups vaccinated by mid February and I am having conversations with the secretary of state to priorise the IW, because we have an older demographic and high rising rates and our hospital is under pressure.

"I will be greedy on behalf of the Island.

"It would be a game changer if we can vaccinate all the 80-year-olds and over, and we see a sudden drop in mortality rates.

"Because of the five-day shelf life of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine and batching in 975 doses, only sites that can deliver 975 doses in that time scale are included.

"That means that smaller pharmacies were not included in the initial roll-out.

"I am hoping that the more versatile Oxford vaccine will allow pharmacies on the Island to get involved in the next stages of the roll-out. 

"We do have an elderly population, so we are more vulnerable than some other areas, and mainland hospitals are already under pressure.

"As a result, I have asked for additional support for the vaccination roll-out on the Island."

Today, frontline hospital staff will be receiving their vaccines, and there will be doses made available for care homes this week too.

Richard Quigley, chair of IW Labour, said: "I welcome and support Bob Seely MP's request of Matt Hancock to provide additional support in this vital stage of the vaccine roll out.

"The Island too often gets overlooked in times of need, especially on matters of health care. I also welcome his intent to be “greedy for the Island”, though I ask that he takes this time of crisis as a moment to reflect on his previous Commons voting record in regard to being “ greedy for the Island” and indeed considers his future voting record to best serve Islanders.“