An issue with vaccination distribution could see people in their 40s and younger facing delays in getting their jab.

A delay in deliveries from India and the need to retest a batch of 1.7 million doses is behind an expected shortfall in coronavirus vaccine supply in April.

However the government are still hoping to have offered everyone in the country their first jab by the end of July.

In Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS bosses in the region are striving towards what they admit is a demanding ambition of offering both doses of Covid vaccine by the end of July.

To stand the best chance of hitting its challenging goal, Lancashire and South Cumbria will also aim to meet other vaccination milestones in advance of national targets, a meeting of Lancashire’s health and wellbeing board heard.

Due to the vaccination shortage and the fact that the vaccination plan was already a "demanding ambition", there is potential that the vaccine shortfall will mean this is no longer possible.

A spokesperson for the Lancashire and South Cumbria CSU said: "Partners across Lancashire and South Cumbria are working really hard to make sure that we’re vaccinating as many people as possible in line with the national guidelines.

"Our vaccination centres continue to vaccinate those with an appointment as we work with the supplies we receive.

"It is really important that people with an appointment do attend, especially those with a second dose booked."

NHS England told health leaders on Wednesday to expect a significant shortfall in vaccine doses from March 29 for about four weeks.

It said people under 50 should not be booked in for first appointments unless they fell into a higher priority group, such as being clinically vulnerable.

The move means the under-50s could now have to wait until May to get a vaccination, despite doctors having planned to start on that group in April, Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs has said.

The delay in the delivery of the doses is due to a temporary hold on exports in India.

The delivery had been expected from the Serum Institute of India but has been held up by four weeks.

AstraZeneca has partnered with the institute, which is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, for supplies to the Indian government but also to other countries, including low and middle-income ones.

It comes as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is to deliver its verdict on the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine after more than a dozen European countries halted its rollout over fears regarding blood clots.