Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Lancashire’s Director of Public Health said that Lancashire residents should be having double doses of the Covid vaccine faster due to the rapid rise in cases.

Coronavirus cases have been rapidly rising in Lancashire due to the surge of the Delta variant.

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Dr Karunanithi told BBC Radio Lancashire: “It feels like we are at the foothills of another wave of this Delta variant.

“So, in spite of all the work that we’re doing following the guidance, it is because of the highly transmissible virus and still a lot of people that haven’t had their second dose of the vaccine.

“You know that we would have liked to see [a] faster vaccination programme right from when it started and that is actually contributing to some of that we are seeing in our hospitals.

“I really do hope that there are no restrictions on our region and what we need is more support and less sanctions.”

Read more: Covid-19 cases on the rise in majority of areas in Preston and South Ribble

Preston’s current Covid case rate per 100,000 over the last seven days is 134.8, which is an increase from previous data.

Dr Sakhi’s call was backed by Preston City Council’s leader councillor Matthew Brown.

But Blackburn with Darwen has the highest rate in Lancashire of 436.2.

Lancashire and South Cumbria Health & Care Partnership are also emphasizing “importance of eligible people coming forward for their vaccination as soon as they are invited.”

There are also new pop-up vaccination sites which can be found here.

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