PEOPLE as young as 42 are now being invited nationwide to have the Covid jab - but York residents aged 44 are currently struggling to get vaccinated in their home city.

Haydn Lewis, 44, of Clifton, said he had tried three times to get an appointment on the national bookings website on Monday and again yesterday, but was unable to get a slot anywhere in York or North Yorkshire, with the nearest available location being in Leeds.

A spokesperson for York’s mass vaccination centre said that when it received more vaccines, more first appointments would be made available on the national booking system, adding: “This is out of our control and supply is fluctuating nationally.”

She said the local service on the vaccination site had invited 2,000 patients for first vaccinations in York this week, including people aged 44 plus, and it was focusing on second vaccinations.

A spokesperson for the Vale of York CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) said: "The vaccination programme is continuing at pace with 40-year-olds now receiving invitations to be vaccinated. Please wait for your invitation for a vaccination appointment. You don’t need to call us; we will contact you.

"If you can’t get an appointment straight away using the online booking system, please keep trying as more appointments are constantly being added to the system."