The mass rollout of coronvirus vaccinations in Kent has been described as a "marathon" rather than a "sprint" as greater capacity is forecast for January.

UK health workers have started immunising patients as the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid jab will be administered from at least 18 GP surgeries across the county by Saturday.

Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group's (CCG) primary care group, which oversees the county's 200 GPs, met earlier today and described the news as "brilliant" but downplayed the "expectations" of 1.8 million residents.

Gail Locock, who is the CCG's director of nursing and quality, warned it would be a "momentous" effort during the virtual public meeting earlier today.

She told the NHS committee: "This is a marathon, not a sprint. As more capacity comes online then more and more invitations will be opening."

Ms Locock revealed that doctors were "ramping" through the Pfzier vaccine stocks at several GP sites and two main hospitals, including Ashford's William Harvey Hospital and Medway Maritime Hospital.

Concerns were raised by some Kent GPs about supplies running out before the second jab is ready, with around 800,000 doses arriving onto UK shores. This will have to be given out to 400,000 people out of the country's 66 million.

'You might not get it this week or next but there is a domino effect that is scaling up gradually to get everybody vaccinated...'

Prioritised patients have been selected, including those aged over 80 and high risk groups, including some NHS staff and care home residents and workers.

Dr Michael Von Fraunhofer warned about "over-inviting" patients for the vaccination without having adequate stocks available after the initial doses.

At today's GP gathering, he said: "There will be people who have been invited to get a vaccine and then told 'I'm afraid we have run out now' and they are then going to be told 'we don't know when we are going to get the next batch.'

"That will cause some confusion and irritation which we need to manage."

Gerald Heddell, one of the CCG lay members for West Kent, said 800,000 doses was a "small number" and worried about stocks "grinding to a halt".

No data has been made available by the CCG on how many patients in Kent will be vaccinated out of the 800,000 Pfzier vaccine doses. They say this may be known at national level.

Ms Locock said the rollout would be "challenging" but was adamant that other vaccines, potentially the 90% effective, more readily accessible and cheaper Oxford jab, would be coming "live" next month to ease the pressures.

She said: "Everyone will get a vaccine who is eligible. You might not get it this week or next but there is a domino effect that is scaling up gradually to get everybody vaccinated."

All Covid-19 vaccinations will be provided through booked appointments as a phased approach is being taken with the Pfizer distribution.

Nine GPs have opened their doors for the immunisation programme while another four will follow suit on Friday and five on Saturday.

She added: "Come January, which is only a few weeks away, it will be a very different picture. The capacity will increase enormously."

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