A regional daily has renewed its push to vaccinate readers amid a warning about the winter ahead.

Portsmouth daily The News is encouraging people in the city to get initial coroanvirus jabs and boosters, as well as flu vaccines, to help the local NHS to cope.

The News launched its ‘Grab A Jab’ campaign in July as Covid-19 restrictions were eased across England.

The newspaper splashed yesterday on its renewed call, accompanied by a warning from Portsmouth council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson.

It comes after The News revealed the South Central Ambulance Service declared a “critical incident” over the weekend of 30-31 October after being swamped with calls.

Councillor Jackson told The News: “In effect we have got a quarter of people in Portsmouth who can get the vaccine and have chosen not to. This is higher than the average across the country.

“It’s a big risk you’re taking but also a big pressure on our hospitals and the rest of the NHS.

“So I think the single biggest contribution anybody could make to making sure QA is alright this winter is by getting jabbed, and then getting their booster when they can.

“This is the beginning of flu season and things will only get worse. I was hopeful more people would get the vaccine because it has been a complete game changer.”