Nearly 100,000 people have received their first Covid jab across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, figures have revealed.

Some 96,870 patients have had their first dose, with a further 5,762 second doses given at vaccination centres and hubs in the area since the rollout started.

A total of 102,632 jabs have been given.

The numbers mean that 76.6 per cent of the 80+ population have had their first dose.

Speaking at a vaccine webinar last night about the Government's mid-Febraury target for the first four priority groups, Caroline Trevithick, Chief nurse for Leicester's CCGs, said: "We have two more weeks to meet the target, that's not long.

"The published figure is about 61,000 but I can tell you we have done many tens of thousands more than that, we've had rapidly increasing numbers of vaccine coming into the system on a daily basis.

"Any vaccine that's coming into the patch we are making sure it goes straight out, we are not sitting on them at all, we really want to get them into the arms of people."

Talking about progress so far she added: "Because we have had a phased roll out we have seen some areas that have got through those cohorts quicker than others, there are some areas too, in particularly in the city, where they don't have large cohorts of over 80s so they've been able to move a little quicker."

And on care homes, which should have all been offered a first injection by last weekend, Mrs Trevithick said that 98 per cent of care home residents have been vaccinated, adding: "We know that there were some that were in the middle of outbreaks so it would have been unsafe to go in at that time. We have a plan in place to follow those up."

People can't have the vaccine within four weeks of testing positive for Covid-19.

Pre-bookable appointments offered via hospital hubs were snapped up this week, with slots now full.

Patients are being reassured that they will be contacted in order of eligibility with an appointment date and time.

Hospital bosses confirmed that 14,500 UHL staff and a further 27,000 healthcare professionals across LLR have received their vaccinations. Frontline health workers are included in the first four priority groups.

Acting chief executive of Leicester's hospitals, Rebecca Brown shared the latest figures on Twitter and said: "This is fantastic news. Thank you to all those that are driving this life-saving programme."