Almost half of Norfolk and Waveney's adult population have received their first coronavirus vaccine.

Latest data released by NHS England shows 384,186 people living in the area have had an initial dose of the life-saving jab.

That makes up 45.1pc of the area's overall adult population, the fifth-highest rate in the country.

Suffolk and North East Essex is second on the list, with 46.3pc having had a first dose.

A total of 398,026 doses had been administered in Norfolk and Waveney by February 28, meaning almost 14,000 second shots have gone to society's most vulnerable and elderly.

And, just two-and-a-half weeks after the programme moved into its next stage to include 65 to 69-year-olds, 81.7pc of the age group have already received at least one dose.

Melanie Craig, chief executive of Norfolk and Waveney CCG, which has been leading the local rollout, said she expects proceedings to move up a gear in the coming weeks.

"We expect, from the middle of March, there to be a significant increase in supply," she added.

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"We have already been going like the clappers. All our venues have been working tirelessly and that is going to ramp up even further.

"We have been planning for this moment, when second doses start to be administered, so it is going to get even busier. But we are delighted that we will be able to protect so many people."

The rate of vaccination in our area has moved at a relatively consistent pace in recent weeks, with 45,454 doses administered during the latest seven-day period.

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Last week 44,856 jabs were given, and a week prior 48,625.

But those totals pale in comparison to the seven days from January 16 to 24, when 71,397 people had injections.

Broken down by local authority, Norwich has seen the lowest proportion of its under-65 residents receive either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, at 18.8pc.

By comparison, 24.0pc of people in Broadland have had initial jabs, while in East Suffolk, which includes Waveney, the figure is 27.7pc.

The percentage of under-65s to receive a jab in each of the remaining districts is as follows:

  • Breckland: 21.8pc
  • Great Yarmouth: 21.2pc
  • King's Lynn and West Norfolk: 23.3pc
  • North Norfolk: 22.5pc
  • South Norfolk: 23.5pc