Health leaders urge people across Merseyside to get vaccinated - a year since the first jab was given in the UK

Health leaders are urging people across Merseyside to get vaccinated - as the UK marks exactly a year since the first Astra Zenica jab was given in the UK.

In the last 12 months more than 12.2 million doses have been given across the North West, including more than 2.1 million booster jabs.

But officials here are still concerned over a particularly low uptake of the vaccine in parts of Liverpool - around 65 % of over 18s have had both doses.

Director of Public Health Matt Ashton :

"Vaccination is not mandatory and it shouldn't be mandatory. It should be hearts and minds and peopl eunderstanding the reason to have the vaccine and deciding to take up the offer and we work really hard with our communities to encourage people to do that.

"There have been concerns about the safety of the vaccine and I think they've largely been proved to be false. There have been concerns over fertiliity and again we're working really hard with certain groups to make sure they have all the information they need to make their decision".

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