NEARLY two-thirds of over 50s have had the autumn Covid-19 booster in Barrow.

Thursday, December 8 will mark two years that 90-year-old Margaret Keenan became the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer jab.

Since then, more than 50,000 people in Barrow have been fully vaccinated, figures from the UK coronavirus dashboard show.

This means that as of November 30, at least 81.9% of people aged 12 and over in the area have had the first two jabs, based on the number of people on the National Immunisation Management Service.

A further 41,100 have received a booster or third dose, with uptake for the third jab standing at 66.6% at the end of November.

Steve Russell, NHS director of vaccinations and screening, said that Covid-19, flu and other respiratory viruses are "still very much with us", and urged eligible people to get their autumn booster to "ensure maximum protection" throughout the festive period.

Further data, which details uptake among people aged 50 and over, shows 19,500 Barrow residents had received the autumn booster by November 30.

It means at least 64.5% of over 50s have gotten the additional dose – above England's overall rate of 61.9%.

Nationally, 42 million people are fully vaccinated (75.2%) while 33.4 million have received a booster or third dose (59.8%).

So far, more than 16 million people have been administered the autumn booster, including 14.4 million over 50s.

Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: "The power of the Covid vaccine is undeniable – since the UK was the first country to administer a jab outside of a clinical trial, countless lives have been saved across the world thanks to the incredible work of researchers, scientists, doctors, nurses and volunteers."

However, she added that "we can't be complacent".

"That’s why it’s crucial that all those eligible, from those at risk and pregnant women to frontline health and social care workers, book their appointments as soon as possible to keep immunity levels high," she said.