PEOPLE aged 18 and over in Blackburn and Darwen are to be offered Covid vaccines as the cases of Indian variant of the virus upsurge.
There has been a rise in the number of cases in Blackburn that can be linked to the new Indian variant.
However, surge in vaccinations could be used to tackle Indian variant.
The jabs are to be offered to people in and around Blackburn and Darwen, it’s announced.
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said the measure would begin next week and go hand-in-hand with a programme of surge testing in the area.
The development comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not rule out a return to local lockdowns in future.
A council spokeswoman said a meeting was due to be held later before more details about the vaccination programme would be released.
She said, "The council and NHS partners have secured extra doses of the Covid-19 vaccine that will be made available to anyone in Blackburn with Darwen aged over 18 from next week."
The recent rise in cases in Blackburn has been confirmed to be linked to the new Indian variant.
It joins Bolton and Sefton in the North West as well as parts of London in seeing a spread of the newest variant of concern.
According to BBC News report, in the latest weekly figures, the town recorded the third-highest infection rate in England, with an 89 per cent jump in cases compared to the previous week.
Hospital admissions do not seem to have increased in line with cases, and the area hasn't seen a death with coronavirus for the past six weeks.
A protestor is detained by the police during a demonstration against the proposed site of the new Chinese Embassy, outside Royal Mint Court, in London. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso. 
