Patients from Congleton GP practices who had their first vaccination jab in the town hall last week will be contacted by their surgeries to rearrange the date of their second Covid-19 vaccination appointment.

From today (13 January), patients from Readesmoor Medical Group, Meadowside Medical Centre, Lawton House Surgery and Holmes Chapel Health Centre will be contacted by phone, text or letter.

A spokesperson for Congleton and Holmes Chapel GP Practices, said: "We would like to apologise for any inconvenience. This is because of new advice from the UK Chief Medical Officers.

"The new medical advice is that the second dose of the vaccine remains effective when given up to 12 weeks after the first dose and should be given towards the end of this 12-week period.

"Two doses of the vaccine are still needed to get the best protection from the virus, but significant protection is still provided at twenty-two days after the first dose.

"New guidance will therefore help ensure that as many as possible benefit from the first dose of the vaccine as soon as possible.

"There are no safety concerns in the new guidance where people have already had their second dose of the vaccine earlier than 12 weeks after their first dose.

For more information on the vaccine, visit the NHS website.