'Please ignore the nonsense peddled by the anti-vaxxers' says Scarborough and Whitby MP Robert Goodwill

Robert Goodwill is urging his constituents to have the jab to protect them from coronavirus when it becomes available to them.

“I want to make a plea to people in the constituency not to listen to the nonsense that is being peddled by anti-vaxxers,” he said.

"Please go and get vaccinated because it's not just for yourself, it's for other people who maybe can't have the vaccine because of another health condition.”

His plea comes after receiving letters from people in the area telling him they will not be getting the vaccine because of propaganda circulated by the anti-vaccination movement, known as anti-vaxxers.

Most lockdown fines in North Yorkshire are still being handed out in Scarborough, Whitby or Filey

Mr Goodwill stressed that vaccinations will not be rolled out until vaccines have been thoroughly tested and reviewed, and declared safe.

MP Nadhim Zahawi has been appointed as a new health minister to oversee the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine in England.

Subject to regulatory approval, the roll out could begin before Christmas.

Care home residents and staff will be the first priority to receive a vaccine, followed by the over 80s and health and social care workers.

The vaccine will then be made available to people in five-year age bands, from the over 75s to over 50s, with the oldest as the highest priority.

Currently, the Government has placed orders for 100 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, 40 million doses of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech and five million doses from US firm Moderna.