Andover’s mayor has urged residents to “think about other people” and take up their Covid vaccination when it is offered.

Cllr Richard Rowles made the call after he was given the first dose of a Covid vaccine in Winchester yesterday (March 2). He praised staff and volunteers involved in the vaccination program, calling them “fantastic”.

He said: “The whole operation is amazing with GPs coordinating things at ground level. Volunteers from the Winchester Rotary Club were fantastic, and I'm more confident than ever we can beat this virus.

"We must all think about other people rather than ourselves; there really should be very few reasons for not having the vaccine. We can only get through this situation if we help each other by stopping the spread of this virus, give the NHS a breather, and get our economy back on track."

His call echoes those of other figures such as the Queen, who said that those hesitant about taking up the vaccine should “think about other people rather than themselves.”

Meanwhile, her grandson, the Duke of Cambridge, said that he and the Duchess “wholeheartedly support having vaccinations.”

He said: “It’s really, really important. We’ve spoken to a lot of people about it and the uptake has been amazing so far.

“We’ve got to keep it going so the younger generations also feel that it’s really important for them to have it.”

As the vaccine continues to be rolled out to lower age groups, the latest Covid-19 test results show that case numbers are very low across Andover and the wider Test Valley, with only one area in double figures.

In the week leading up to February 25, Test Valley recorded 86 cases, a decrease of 43 from the week before, with a rolling rate of 68.2 cases per 100,000 people.

Andover London Road & East Anton continues to have the highest number of cases, with 25 in this reporting period. It is also the only part of the area to have seen an increase in cases, with four more confirmed in the week to February 25.

All other areas saw declines, with a number reporting their number of cases as suppressed. When cases are less than three, the exact number is not recorded to protect the identity of those with the virus.

As of Tuesday, March 2, Test Valley had reported 5,119 positive cases of Covid-19. There have so far been 228 deaths with Covid-19 recorded as the cause of death.