ALMOST 25,000 people in York had their Covid booster jab in just a single week in the run-up to Christmas, new figures reveal.

The booster jab rollout has been massively scaled up amid concern over the spread of the Omicron variant.

Data from the UK coronavirus dashboard shows at least 24,931 people in York received a booster or third vaccine dose in the week ending Monday, December 20 – the latest available data.

That was more than double the 9,441 extra jabs given the previous week.

Of the latest seven days, Sunday, December 19 saw the most extra jabs in arms - 5,087, the highest number since the NHS booster jab campaign was launched in mid-September.

A total of 96,889 people in York had received a booster or third dose by Monday – at least 50 per cent of people aged 12 and over, based on the number of people on the National Immunisation Management Service database.

They were among the 29.9 million people across the UK to have received an extra vaccine dose as of December 20.

Tuesday also marked another major milestone in York - half a million Covid vaccinations (including first, second and booster jabs) given in the city since the pandemic began.

Maddy Ruff, chief executive of Nimbuscare which is co-ordinating the vaccine and booster programmes in York, said she was 'absolutely delighted' with the booster take-up in the city.

York Press:

Maddy Ruff

"This is credit to all the enormous hard work of staff and partners throughout the city. It has been a real cross-city team effort," she said.

Figures show that take-up of the booster varies widely across York by ward, however.

In the Fulford, Heslington and University ward, which has a high student population, only 30.7 per cent of people had received a third or booster jab, according to the latest Government figures.

York city centre was next lowest, at 31.6 per cent, followed by Tang Hall (35.7 per cent), Heworth South and The Groves (36.5 per cent), Clifton North (37 per cent) and Westfield, Chapelfields and Foxwood (40.3 per cent).

York Press:

Map showing booster take-up in York. Take-up has been lower in lighter-coloured wards

The York wards with the highest proportion of people who have had a booster or third jab were Haxby (71.1 per cent) and Wigginton (70.9 per cent).

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that, despite the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, there was not enough evidence to justify tougher coronavirus restrictions before Christmas.

But he warned that further measures post-December 25 could not be ruled out. And he encouraged people to “drop everything” if they have yet to get a vaccine.

Mr Johnson’s comments came after Chancellor Rishi Sunak offered a £1 billion support package to hospitality and leisure businesses hit by Covid restrictions amid concerns over Omicron.

The additional help includes one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises in the affected sectors.

To book your booster jab, visit www.nhs.uk