LANCASHIRE'S public health director has said that the proportion of people double vaccinated can vary from 20 per cent to 70 per cent, depending on the area.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi was speaking on national television after health secretary Matt Hancock further urged Lancashire residents to 'get vaccinated' and 'minimise travel' during a brief address to the House of Commons yesterday.

A 'strengthened package of support' will be provided in Lancashire to tackle a rise in the Delta variant of coronavirus, Health Secretary Matt Hancock told MPs.

Dr Karunanithi told BBC Breakfast: "This, with an escalating situation in terms of highly transmissible virus, I think we need to really tread carefully in unlocking further just so that we do that sustainably and not having the prospect of going back in again.

"Whatever happens is a national decision and it has to be one that applies across the country and not necessarily different places treated differently."

Dr Karunanithi said the focus locally was to make testing become "part of our normal routine", as well as "bringing vaccines closer to people through walk-ins and pop-up clinics, that seem to be really popular with our residents, and they are really coming forward for their second doses as well".

He said the message to local people was there "is no local lockdowns, there’s no travel restrictions, but let’s all apply our Covid sense."

As of yesterday, 4,290,947 first and 3,042,164 second jabs had been administered in the North West of England.