THE Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is being rolled out in York - as GP practices are inundated with calls from worried patients wanting the jab.

Organisers of the city's largest vaccination centre on the former Askham Bar Park & Ride site are urging people to be patient and wait to be contacted when the time is right.

"Our GP practices are receiving large volumes of calls from worried patients," said a spokeswoman.

"We understand that people are anxious to receive the vaccine, but we would reassure them that they will be contacted as more vaccine arrives.

"The new Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is now being rolled out to general practice led services. This will make it much easier to protect more patients against Covid. This is good news for the people of York and a step forward in vaccinating more of our community.

"We are expecting that, as more vaccines become available in the coming weeks, we will be able to increase the number of vaccines we are offering to the people of York.

"The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus continues to increase and is why it is imperative we vaccinate as many people as possible.

"We have initially been focused on prioritising people over 80 years old in York. By the end of next week we expect to have vaccinated more than half of this priority group which is very pleasing and a credit to all our hardworking teams who have made this possible.

"We have also vaccinated a significant number of health and social care staff, as well as care home residents in York. By the end of this week we will have vaccinated more than half the care home residents and staff in York."

She said that from next week, the second dose of vaccine would be delayed to 12 weeks after the first dose to increase take up. "This is the approach supported by the Chief Medical Officers and also the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the British Geriatrics Society."