More than 110,000 Covid-19 jabs administered in the Midlands in 'record day'

A total of 111,473 jabs – and more than 100,000 boosters – were delivered on Tuesday, which represented a 66 per cent increase on the same day last week.

It marks the most vaccines given on any weekday in the Midlands since the start of the vaccination programme and comes after the rollout was stepped up.

And more than 430,000 vaccine appointments have been made across the region for this week, with the vast majority being for the booster vaccine, chiefs said.

Alison Tonge, the NHS England and NHS Improvement director responsible for overseeing the vaccination programme across the Midlands, said: "We are delighted that we have just witnessed our best weekday ever, and that already more than 430,000 vaccine appointments have been made across the Midlands this week – it is fantastic to see such a positive response from the public so far.

"Across the region we are once again pulling out all the stops to vaccinate as many as people as possible and at speed. I want to thank all the NHS staff and vaccination centre volunteers across the Midlands who are making huge efforts to ensure that there is a significant increase in the number of appointments available.

"We need everyone in the region to play their part and continue to come forward and book their vaccine through the national booking service.

"The data is clear – getting boosted is our best hope of protecting people against the new variant so please book your slot online and guarantee your vital jab."

The NHS is accelerating the booster programme in a drive to offer all adults a top-up jab by the end of December, due to the increased spread of the new Covid variant Omicron across the Midlands.

The health service is "working at pace" to add new sites and extend opening hours at existing sites – with jabs offered 24 hours at the Artix Theatre in Bromsgrove and the MW Phillips Chemist on Shady Lane in Birmingham.

New sites will be opening including at the Jaguar Land Rover site in Solihull, initially for staff and their families, and at Millennium Point in Birmingham City Centre. In some parts of the Midlands, fire stations are also opening as vaccination sites as part of the increased push.