The leader of B&NES has welcomed news that locally all of those in the top four priority groups should have now been offered a coronavirus vaccine.

Dino Romero wrote in her regular news letter : " Two hundred and twenty thousand vaccines have now been given across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire and everyone in the top four priority groups has now been offered a jab.

"It's a tremendous achievement – but now is not the time for complacency. If we are to control the virus, we must all continue to stick to the rules, even if we have had a vaccine.

"This week the government has added 1.7 million people to the list of those considered extremely vulnerable and is urging them to shield until at least 31 March. Those identified have been calculated to be at higher risk from Covid-19 by factors including ethnicity, weight and deprivation. If you are affected your GP will write to you and you will be prioritised for vaccination."

She finishes her weekly news update on a positive note.

"We are now entering the seventh week of this third national lockdown, but I believe we can do so with hope. The number of Covid cases is falling while the number of people vaccinated is rising. We are slowly edging closer to an easing of restrictions, but we must do so safely, and we must all continue to play our part. "