MORE than 97 per cent of over seventies on the Isle of Wight have been given their first Covid vaccine.

Data published by NHS England, recorded on the National Immunisation Management Service database, breaks down vaccine doses by clinical commissioning groups (CCG) for the first time.

On the Isle of Wight, A total of 49,475 doses have been given out between the start of the programme, December 8, and February 14.

Through the hubs and centres across the Island, 47,586 people have received their first doses of the coronavirus vaccines — 18,663 under 70 year olds and 28,923 70+ year olds.

Despite the high number of first doses, however, fewer than four per cent of those who have received their first dose have had their second.

In total, 1,889 people, 324 under 70s and 1,565 70+, have had their second doses after the interval between the doses was changed from three weeks to 12.

Across the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sustainability Transformation Partnership, 479,061 doses have been given out, the fifth highest total in the country behind Greater Manchester, Cumbria, West Yorkshire and Harrogate, and Cheshire and Merseyside.

In the Hampshire and Isle of Wight CCG area, the Isle of Wight has the second lowest vaccine total, with Portsmouth giving out 47,176 doses and Southampton 52,225.

The next cohorts of people are now being invited to have their vaccines, including those over 65.

The NHS IOW CCG recently announced everyone in the top four vaccine cohorts, residents in care homes for older adults, those aged between 70 and 80, the clinically extremely vulnerable and frontline health and social care workers, have all been offered the jab.

At the St Mary's Hospital vaccine hub, which has now closed until second doses of the Pfizer vaccine are issued, 8,155 frontline health and social care workers were given vaccines in less than a month.