Peterborough MP calls for action over city’s low COVID vaccination rates

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow has called for action to be taken over low COVID vaccination rates in the city.
Paul Bristow MP receives his COVID vaccinePaul Bristow MP receives his COVID vaccine
Paul Bristow MP receives his COVID vaccine

Across Peterborough less than 70 per cent of the population have even had one jab, while just 54 per cent have been given both doses of vaccine.

The UK rate has seen 89 per cent of the population have at least one jab, and 74 per cent have both jabs.

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In some areas of the city, the take up rate falls far below the national rate - in Central Peterborough and in Milfield and Bourges Boulevard, less than half of adults have had one dose, and in seven of the 22 areas, less than half have had both doses.

Statistics have shown that there is a particularly low take up for the vaccine in Peterborough amongst younger people - despite an increase in the number of young patients needing hospital treatment as a result of catching the virus.

Now Mr Bristow has written an open letter to Gillian Beasley, chief executive of Peterborough City Council, Jyoti Atri, Director of Public Health for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire and Jan Thomas, Accountable Officer for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG.

In the letter, he said; “Peterborough has come together in an amazing way to fight this horrible virus. Our NHS staff, social care staff, essential service staff, charities and volunteers, have worked well beyond the call of duty to look after the sick and vulnerable in Peterborough throughout this crisis.

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“I am really grateful to you for your leadership (and that of the former Director of Public Health, Dr Liz Robin), of our local agencies during this period.

“The vaccination programme has so far been a huge success across the country. It has enabled the country to take steps to move on and allowed us all to enjoy the many things that we hold dear – including visiting our families and friends again.

“I am concerned that our overall rate of vaccination in Peterborough is lower than the national average, and that take up rates among the younger adult population are particularly low. As you know, Covid patients at Peterborough City Council are now in younger age groups.

“I am hoping that we can work together to increase vaccination rates in some of our more difficult to reach communities.

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“I would be grateful if we could all meet soon for an update on our local vaccination programme. I am willing to play my part in this next stage of our vaccination strategy to ensure that people across Peterborough are aware of the benefits of vaccination and take up their opportunity to protect themselves against this horrible virus.”

There are pop-up clinics and walk-in vaccination centres across the county where people can get their COVID-19 jabs without appointments and more information about these centres can be found on www.thevaccinators.co.uk.

To find out more about walk-in clinics, how to book an appointment or more information about the vaccine, visit https://www.cambridgeshireandpeterboroughccg.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/covid-19-national-vaccination-programme/

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MORE: The 11 Peterborough neighbourhoods where 30 per cent of the population have not had a single COVID jab