MORE than 8,000 health and social care staff have received their first dose of the Covid vaccine on the Isle of Wight.

In one of the biggest vaccine programmes ever rolled out, the vaccine hub at St Mary's Hospital, in Newport, has been playing its part to vaccinate frontline workers against the deadly virus.

In less than a month since the hub opened, on January 7, 8,155 NHS and social care staff have been vaccinated.

The hub was stood down last week, as staff await the second dose of the vaccine.

In an update going to the Isle of Wight NHS Trust's board meeting later this week (Thursday, February 11), chief executive Maggie Oldham said they have received excellent feedback from staff and sent her thanks to all those working in the vaccine hub for all their hard work.

Isle of Wight County Press: Maggie Oldham at St Mary's Covid vaccine hub. (Picture: IOW NHS Trust)Maggie Oldham at St Mary's Covid vaccine hub. (Picture: IOW NHS Trust)

It will re-open to administer the second doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to staff in April.

Staff had to book appointments to be able to receive their vaccine, however booking information was shared more widely than was appropriate, meaning some people tried to book vaccine appointments who were not on the government's priority list.

The Isle of Wight NHS Trust said it took immediate steps to rectify the situation and apologised for any confusion caused.

A fifth community vaccine centre opened at the beginning of February, at the Riverside Centre in Newport.