AROUND 20,000 residents could have had their Covid-19 vaccine by ‘early next week’.

That’s according to Cheshire West council leader Louise Gittins, providing an update via Twitter this morning (January 15).

Cllr Gittins said: “Had my calculator out this morning trying to work out vaccinations delivered in [Cheshire West]. I think by early next week we could be heading for 20,000”

The Labour leader added her figure was a ‘guesstimate’ and ‘not official’, and went on to praise the ‘amazing work’ in delivering the programme.

Earlier this week, the NHS Accountable Officer overseeing the vaccine roll-out in Cheshire said she was ‘confident’ of meeting the national targets laid out by government.

Clare Watson said: “We have got three targets nationally. Although they are ambitious, they are quite helpful to have.

“By the end of January all care home residents and frontline care workers have to have their first vaccine. We are on track with that. We will meet that target.

“The other target is February 14 which is the top four priority groups being offered their vaccination. 

“We are going through all these lists and we are still confident that we can achieve our target.”

Ms Watson added that the NHS did not have ‘accurate data’ on the numbers of people taking up the vaccine in Cheshire, but it would be ‘coming soon’.