The Bailiwick's Covid-19 vaccination programme has begun with the Matron at St John's Residential Home the very first person here to have the jab.

Dr Sue Fleming is in the first batch of frontline health and care workers to have their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine today because she provides direct care to patients at the home.

Health and Social Care president Deputy Al Brouard says he's delighted that Guernsey is able to begin the roll-out with very low case numbers and no evidence of community seeding of the virus.

The measures put in place for the vaccine - which has to be stored at an extremely low temperature - have been arranged at what he describes as a 'significant pace'.  

He says it's down to the hard work and dedication of staff across the States that we're able to begin the programme before the end of the year. 

"We are exceptionally pleased that we can start this vaccine programme with very low numbers of cases of COVID-19 in the Islands and no evidence of community seeding.

"This makes the roll-out a much simpler process and is down to the continued #GuernseyTogether spirit in the Bailiwick."

The States of Guernsey previewed today's landmark event by posting a photo of Father Christmas delivering the vaccine to the Emma Ferbrache room at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

HSC is reminding islanders that the vaccine will be delivered in priority order and they will receive a letter when it's time for them to have their jab.

We're being asked not to call, but to wait for the invitation to make an appointment.