KNUTSFORD’S successful Covid-19 vaccination programme continues to go from strength to strength.

Following news more than 25,000 jabs have been delivered, the town’s rollout is now three weeks ahead of the government schedule, with 18 to 29-year-olds now being offered doses.

The programme has been managed by a collaboration involving Knutsford Medical Partnership, Knutsford Rotary, Knutsford Hosts, We Are Knutsford, and Catenians.

Sarah Flannery, chair of Knutsford Hosts, said: “It is fair to say the town would not be so far ahead of schedule, with one of the highest vaccination take-ups and one of the lowest hospitalisation rates in the country, were it not for the efforts of the volunteers, and all the friends and relatives who also pitched in.

"The key to Knutsford’s successful vaccination programme has been the way in which we have worked together.

“It has been this spirit of community partnership that led us to recognising the contributions from Dr Paddy Kearns, (Knutsford Medical Partnership), Rick Dallimore and Tony Booth (President and Vice-President of Knutsford Rotary) and Claire Sawyer (founder of We Are Knutsford) by investing them as honorary Knutsford Hosts last week.

“It’s been a massive undertaking, the biggest voluntary partnership undertaken in the town, involving 160 volunteers.

"Knutsford Rotary have done a brilliant job of organising the volunteers, and everyone had been so positive about having the opportunity to do something that really makes a difference.”

Samantha Pownall, of the Knutsford Medical Partnership said: “We are not offering any more first doses at Knutsford Community Hospital from today (unless the patient already has an appointment booked by our booking team) and will be looking to direct patients who would like their first jab going forward to 119 and the mass vaccination sites.

“In the meantime, we are offering vaccination to those in the 18 to 29 age bracket ahead of the government schedule and have contacted all patients who are eligible for the vaccination to offer them a dose. We will continue to run second-dose clinics until early/mid-August.”

Tony Booth, vice president of Knutsford Rotary, added: “From our perspective (outside the hospital), with four more sessions to go by the end of June, volunteers will have completed 1,400 man-hours in total, and marshalled on 54 days, at an average of six and a half hours each day and guided a total of around 40,000 car movements in and out of KCH’s car park.

“It is wonderful to see so many people coming forward to get vaccinated and we hope that this continues until all adults are immunised.”