A Sandbach GP has praised the effort of those implementing Cheshire's Coronavirus vaccine rollout.

Dr Andrew Wilson told a meeting of the Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) today, an organisation he chairs, that there was a "fantastic community effort" driving the program.

Dr Wilson, who practices at the Ashfield Primary Care Centre, said: "The COVID-19 vaccination programme offers a great beacon of hope for all of us, but it is important to remember that we are still in the middle of a very serious pandemic which is putting health and care services under tremendous pressure.

"Behind every statistic are sad stories of lost loved ones and we must never forget that."

Supported by hundreds of volunteers, 18 GP-led vaccination centres are now live across Cheshire to administer the vaccine to eligible residents.

Dr Wilson added: "There are reasons for optimism, however, not least due to the fantastic community effort that is helping to fuel Cheshire's drive to vaccinate our most vulnerable."

Also speaking at today's meeting of the body in charge of the rollout, Tracey Cole, the CCG's Executive Director of Strategy and Partnerships, said: "Vaccination is the best way out of this pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccination programme is the largest vaccination programme in British history and it has taken an epic feat of heroic will to get to where we are now."

"Thank you to everyone involved in this – staff, volunteers and patients who are coming forward in their thousands to receive a vaccination."

The GP-led sites are complemented by four hospital hubs, including Leighton Hospital.

Comprehensive, up-to-date information about Cheshire's COVID-19 vaccination programme is available here.

The NHS is planning to vaccinate everyone in the top four priority groups by mid-February– including older care home residents and staff, everyone aged over 70, all frontline NHS and care staff and all those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.