Roll-out of the vaccination programme is our national priority and cannot be done any faster, Ministers insist.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle said: ’The roll-out of the vaccine has now to be our national priority. We will do everything in our power to do this as quickly and effectively as possible.’

Health Minister David Ashford said the programme was on schedule and he expected everyone over the age of 50 would get the jab by the end of May and everyone else by the end of September.

He also revealed at today’s Covid briefing that the island has now received the first tray of the Oxford vaccine, which is logistically easier to administer than the Pfizer one.

But he said the government had not yet received the Crown indemnity and other paperwork in order to administer it - although he hoped these are imminent.

He said in the first week of the vaccination programme, a total of 1,141 health and care workers have received the Pfizer jab over three days.

Mr Ashford said this was an increase from the 975 that had been planned and this was because it was found you can get six doses out of a vial rather than five.

He said the plan was now to vaccinate 1,141 people every week over three days.

’All those aged 50 and above and all those in the most vulnerable categories are expected to have been offered the opportunity to have the vaccine by the end of May if delivery schedules hold up,’ he said. ’It will then be rolled out across the rest of the population from May to September.

’People will be written to and invited when it’s their turn.’

The Minister said it had been decided to run the programme over three days rather than seven but insisted it could not be rolled out any faster.

He said: ’This is a medical procedure not a production line.

’It is a national priority but it does need to be done in a clinically safe way.’

One new case of Covid has been confirmed but this relates to the day one testing of a returning resident rather than being linked to any cluster.

Director of public health Dr Henrietta Ewart said this was reassuring but that it didn’t mean we can relax as we are still in the incubation period for both identified clusters. And she warned about the virus going out into the community ’under the radar’ and people should remain vigilant for any symptoms.

Mr Ashford said it had been decided to follow the manufacturer’s guidance to give a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine 21 days after the first. He also revealed that patients due to travel across for treatment over the next six to eight weeks will be referred for a vaccine.

Letters are being sent out to more than 4,300 island residents over the age of 80 inviting them to come forward for a vaccination.