Nearly 70% of young people in Suffolk and north Essex have had their first dose of a Covid-19 jab and now pregnant women are being urged to take up their invites.

The latest figures released by NHS England show 69.9% of those aged 18 to 29 have now had the first injection but only 25.4% have had both doses within the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System (ICS) area.

Meanwhile, 44.8% of those aged 30 to 39 have had both doses while in the 40 to 49 age bracket the rate is 74.4%. Of those aged over 50, 90% have now been double jabbed.

Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership, which covers parts of north Suffolk, also reported similar figures.

A total of 24% of 18 to 29 year olds, 42% of those between 30 and 39, 76.1% of 40 to 49 year olds and more than 90% of over 50s have had their second dose.

Pregnant women, eligible for the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, are also being urged to take the jab as they are two to three times more likely to give birth to their baby prematurely if they catch Covid and are symptomatic.

Dr Edward Morris, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “We are concerned that increasing rates of Covid-19 infection will adversely impact pregnant women.

“Of the pregnant women in hospital with Covid-19 last week, 95% were unvaccinated.”

To learn more about vaccines and see when there are walk-in appointments locally please go here: sneevaccine.org.uk.