Pontefract Squash Club to be opened as Covid vaccination site as over 80s jab rates 'highest in West Yorkshire'

The venue, located on Stuart Road in the town, has been closed to members because of lockdown.

However, it will be re-purposed as a pharmacy-run vaccination centre from next Tuesday, the local NHS has said.

It joins other local landmarks, including Castleford Civic Centre and Sandal Rugby Club in Wakefield, in being used to administer the jab.

Meanwhile, residents and staff in all care homes across the Wakefield district, will have been offered the vaccine by the end of this week.

Ruth Unwin from Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) told a scrutiny meeting on Thursday that take-up of the jab locally had been "positive".

She added however, that the NHS was targeting promotion of the vaccine at some specific communities to encourage them to come forward.

Concern has been raised nationally that some people from BAME backgrounds may refuse the jab on the basis of misinformation spreading online.

Ms Unwin also said that the proportion of over 80s who'd been vaccinated in Wakefield, was the "highest across West Yorkshire".

Local Democracy Reporting Service