Peterborough vaccine take up rate 20 per cent behind UK rate as cases soar in city

Yesterday it was announced that 75 per cent of people in the UK have now had both doses of COVID vaccine. However, Peterborough’s take up rate is far below that figure, with a smaller percentage having had one dose than people in the UK have had two doses.

In Peterborough, just 69 per cent of eligible people have had one dose, and 54 per cent have had both doses.

COVID cases are now rising again in Peterborough, with the city posting the biggest week-on-week rise in the country on Monday.

The rate now stands at 428.7 cases per 100,000 people - the highest rate in the city since January.

People aged 16 and 17 are now able to get vaccinated in Peterborough.

Last week Peterborough MP Paul Bristow called for a meeting with the council and the Clinical Care Commissioning Group (CCG) to find out what is being done to tackle the low vaccine rate in the city.

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

Today, Jyoti Atri, Director of Public Health for Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “It is certainly true that the current data shows that Peterborough is behind other areas in the county in terms of the number of eligible residents receiving their Covid-19 vaccinations. Peterborough City Council has been working tirelessly with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG and a large number of community groups and organisations in Peterborough and the surrounding areas to urge those more hesitant residents to come forward and get their vaccine.

“Our Community Engagement Teams have been out and about in Peterborough, working with community groups in harder to reach areas, to provide advice, support and answers to questions that people may have about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. We are also working with the CCG to see if there is anything more we can do to support people who have not yet been vaccinated - such as provide information, transport, or through other practical measures. We are committed to doing this as evidence shows that that vaccine is highly effective at breaking the link between infections and serious illness, driving down hospitalisations and deaths.

“Peterborough City Council acknowledges that there is more work to be done to build on the successes that have already been achieved working with our health colleagues and many community advocate groups. We gratefully accept the invitation to meet up with Peterborough’s MP Paul Bristow to discuss the work the council and the CCG are doing to increase vaccine uptake and to discuss his ideas to improve take up in Peterborough.

“Everyone aged 16 or over can now get vaccinated against COVID-19. We would also like to remind people that they can get their second dose eight weeks after their first. Two doses of the vaccine will ensure you have the strongest possible protection from the Delta variant, protecting yourself, your community and those most vulnerable in society from Covid-19.

“There are pop-up vaccination sites in Peterborough, including a daily walk-in clinic at City Care Centre and the East of England Showground. People can also visit the many walk-in and pop-up clinics in and around the City, with more dates and locations available every week. Up-to-date details of walk-in clinics can be found on www.thevaccinators.co.uk.”

Young people aged 16 and 17 are now invited to walk in to have their vaccine at daily vaccination walk-in venues held across the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough from today (Wednesday 11 August.)

Sixteen and 17- year olds in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will be given the Pfizer vaccine. Young people in this group can attend any of the following daily walk-in clinics between 9am and 3pm:

Horsefair Shopping Centre, Wisbech

City Care Centre, Peterborough

The Eatons Community Centre, Eaton Socon

The Grafton Centre, Cambridge

The Oaktree Centre, Huntingdon

East of England Showground, Peterborough

Chesterton Indoor Bowls Centre, Cambridge

Cherry Hinton Village Leisure Centre, Cambridge

For young people who would rather walk in during an evening session, the following evening sessions are running every week between 5.30pm-7.30pm:

Mondays: Horsefair Shopping Centre, Wisbech

Tuesdays:

Chesterton Indoor Bowls Centre, Cambridge

City Care Centre, Peterborough

The Eatons Community Centre, Eaton Socon

Wednesday: The Grafton Centre, Cambridge

Thursdays:

The Oaktree Centre, Huntingdon

East of England Showground, Peterborough