A care home boss has spoken of her relief after revealing that staff and residents have seen a nearly 100 per cent take-up for the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.

Barbara Johnson, director of nursing at Risedale Care Homes, said almost all carers and residents had taken the opportunity to have the jab since vaccinations began in the area.

She said: “We are very lucky in Barrow.

"Both Doctor Sarah Arun and separately Dr Arun have spearheaded and ensured all residents have been offered and given the vaccine as of today.

"They have been exceptionally pro-active in making sure our residents have the vaccine.

"We have an uptake of 100 per cent in some areas and no less than 90 per cent in others.

"The residents were delighted.

"We offered the Pfizer vaccine to all 680 staff and residents and all those who wish to have it have either had it or have booked in for it.

"Some declined who were pregnant, only declining under advice, so where they have declined it's been for a significant reason."

"We feel very honoured to have been offered it and we see it as a gift.

"We are happy to be in an area where it's been so professionally managed."

Furness General Hospital's occupational health team has been delivering the jabs.

A spokesperson for Cumbria County Council revealed that vaccination of Cumbria Care staff is 60 per cent complete.

They said: "More than half of care staff have now been vaccinated.

"60 per cent of Cumbria Care staff had been vaccinated by midnight last night; that's out of a total number of staff of 2,033."

The Government hopes that all staff who can and want to access the vaccine will have done so by January 23.