HEALTH professionals from across the York area vaccinated a 'significant number' of care home residents against the coronavirus over the Christmas period, it has emerged.

Professor Mike Holmes, chair of Nimbuscare, which runs the mass vaccination site on the former Askham Bar Park & Ride car park, said staff had been working tirelessly to offer the vaccine to priority groups and the work would continue over New Year.

"On behalf of our Primary Care Network (PCN), we have been taking deliveries of the vaccine and have already vaccinated a significant number of people in our care homes over the Christmas period," he said. "This work will continue over New Year. Staff have been coming in on their days off and cutting their holidays short to do this work.

"We are also grateful for the many volunteers provided by the City of York Council and St Leonard's Hospice who are also supporting the vaccination programme."

He said he appreciated that people were very anxious and, understandably, wanted to receive their vaccination as soon as possible, and he was aware that, unfortunately, some people had had to have their appointments rescheduled, but said:"This is a very complex and challenging vaccination programme - the largest vaccination programme in the history of the NHS.

"We are doing our utmost to ensure that everyone in the priority groups receives the vaccine.

"Our message to everyone is to ask them to please be patient. You will be contacted when the time is right. Please do not ring your surgery to ask about the vaccine - there is lots of information on the NHS website. Our surgeries need to keep their phone lines free for patients requiring urgent care."