OVER 70s who have not yet received a coronavirus vaccine are being urged to call the NHS to book an appointment.

The rollout in Sussex has entered the next phase, marking another milestone in the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history.

In total, more than 15 million people in the UK have had their first dose, with the rollout now officially expanded to those aged 65 and over.

However, the Sussex Health and Care Partnership is urging those over 70 who haven’t had an invitation yet to visit www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or call 119 for free to book an appointment.

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The website reads: "The NHS in Sussex is making good progress with the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

"We are on track to have offered the vaccination to everyone in the first four priority groups by mid-February, in line with the national target.

"If you are over 70 and you haven’t had an invitation yet, please visit www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or call 119 for free to book your appointment.

"If you are on the shielded patients list and have not yet been contacted to arrange your vaccination, please get in touch with your GP."

The successful rollout of the vaccines will increase pressure from the Conservative backbenches for the Prime Minister to set out a swift easing of the lockdown when he sets out his "road map" on February 22.

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Appearing on BBC Breakfast this morning, the Health Secretary said there was "some way to go" before easing lockdown.

Matt Hancock told BBC Breakfast: "At the latest count there are still over 23,000 people in hospital with Covid - that's more than in the April peak.

"We are taking those decisions this week, so we will be looking at the data, looking at the success of the vaccine rollout and how far that has reached and its impact in terms of protecting people, looking at the number of cases and critically, looking at the number of people who are in hospital and the number of deaths - those two factors are vital."

Vaccination sites across Sussex continue to administer the jab to people across the county.

Hundreds of people queued outside the Brighton Centre last month to be among the first in the city to use the centre.

A line of people that stretched the length of the building was pictured by a passerby.

The image showed masked elderly residents queueing to get their first dose of the vaccine.

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust apologised to those who were forced to wait outside.