Family concerned that 99-year-old Doncaster gran who helped win World War Two and has carer visit has not yet been offered Covid jab

Yet a month after the NHS started immunising people over the age of 80 in Doncaster against Covid 19, Frances Spriggs has still not reached the top of the list for a jab.

Frances has been self isolating since March, and sees only her carer, and her granddaughter, Shale, who is bubbled with her and visits daily to check on her.

Now Shale is calling the NHS to sharpen its focus and give injections to older people in the age group before the younger ones.

Frances is well known in her community, Highfields, where she worked as a cleaner at the primary school before retirement.

She also used to attend Help the Aged’s weekly Wednesday Club for pensioners at the Goldsmith Centre, in Sprotbrough, volunteers picking her up in a bus to take her there.

But Shale said her nan is starting to feel depressed about not seeing people.

She said: “I just feel as though she’s been overlooked. People aged 80 have been done. Nursing homes have been done. But my nana is aged 99, she’s one of the oldest people in Doncaster, and they haven’t given her the vaccine yet.

"I think they need to better organise this. They need to be looking at people’s ages. I think they should have started with the oldest and worked their way down, and not just looking at the nursing homes.

"She fell and broke her elbow, and has a carer visiting now. They say they are doing the vulnerable first, yet my nana’s not been called yet. She must be among the most vulnerable.”

Frances worked making shells during World War Two at Peglers, in Balby.

NHS England said in a statement: “Priority groups for vaccination in this initial phase were determined by Government following advice from the JCVI and were people aged 80 and over as well as care home residents and staff.

“Practice teams have been working rapidly to redesign their sites and put in place safe processes to meet the tough logistical challenges of offering the vaccination.

“The NHS will contact people in the priority groups when it is their turn to receive the vaccine.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.