Greater Manchester residents - who are eligible - are being urged to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves against the new COVID-19 variant.

Last week, NHS England announced the winter vaccination programme is being brought forward from October to September to help combat the new COVID-19 variant.

NHS Greater Manchester is encouraging all eligible residents to take up their vaccine offer so as many people as possible are fully vaccinated by the end of October to help the most vulnerable in the area.

This includes immunosuppressed, carers, pregnant women, children aged 2-3 years old, adults under 65 identified as clinically at risk due to health conditions, and health and social care staff.

We spoke to Dr Helen Wall, Clinical Director for Population Health at NHS Greater Manchester to find out more about this new strain of COVID-19 and why people should prioritise getting vaccinated.