A VIRUS support squad is being expanded at Stockton Council as efforts to bring a mass vaccination centre to the region gather pace.

Stockton Council is recruiting five Covid support officers and 20 assistants to support contract tracing, testing and the wider roll out of the vaccination programme over the next six months. 

The drive comes as councils are expected to play an even bigger role in the pandemic fight amid calls to bring a mass jab hub to Teesside.

Neighbouring Middlesbrough Council had to spring into action with surge testing last week in response to the emergence of the South African variant in the south of the town. 

Stockton leader Cllr Bob Cook said the council had managed to meet virus demands up until now but the workload was rising. 

He added: “We need additional capacity for things like surge testing, should that be needed here, and to support the next stages of the mass vaccination programme – which is a huge operation.

“These roles are a great opportunity for someone who works well in a team and can adapt to a variety of tasks and responsibilities.”

Applications for the six month contracts in the borough are open until this Sunday, February 28.

The authority has staff at three testing centres for people without Covid-19 symptoms at Billingham Forum, Thornaby Pavilion and Stockton Splash – as well as a team of Covid wardens.

Stockton’s Covid cases have fallen steadily in the past month with NHS data showing a rolling rate of 183.4 cases per 100,000 people between February 13 and February 19. 

But leaders at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust have warned again “Covid complacency” – saying there is still a high number of people with the virus in the intensive care unit at North Tees Hospital.

The Government has promised all over 50s and those in the priority vaccination groups will receive their first jab by April 15. 

Last week, health chiefs revealed a mass vaccination centre would be coming to Teesside “very soon” – with the Riverside Stadium touted as a possible site next month. 

Teesside Conservative MPs Simon Clarke and Jacob Young have urged the UK’s vaccine minister Nadim Zahawi to use the Riverside or Redcar Racecourse as a hub.

Meanwhile, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen joined Tory MPs on a call with Mr Zahawi on Sunday – saying he was pushing for a vaccine hub “immediately” with “potential sites” around Darlington and Stockton.

Mr Houchen added: “The minister took our firm demands on board and we were given a commitment that this would be looked into immediately. “