By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
There is concern over low Covid-19 vaccine uptake in an area of Nottinghamshire where thousands of people have still not had a first jab.
A Nottinghamshire County Councillor raised the issue in Broxtowe, saying more than 10,000 people have still not received a first dose.
More than 90 per cent of people in the United Kingdom have had their first jab – and around 64 per cent have had the first, second and a booster vaccine.
The issue was discussed during an Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee on January 24.
Councillor Steve Carr (Lib Dem) said: “Broxtowe still has 14 per cent of people who haven’t received a first dose, that’s over 10,000 people.
“Nineteen per cent haven’t had their second jab and 35 per cent haven’t had their booster jab.
“The figure of 14 per cent of residents in Broxtowe not engaging with the vaccination process has hardly moved for months.
“I can bet you the figures for Beeston North will be considerably higher than that. It is a worry. It is not for the want of trying that the figures are as they are.”
He added: “How can we ensure that the momentum to get people vaccinated carries on when people are picking it up that the Government think it [the pandemic] is over?”
Jonathan Gribbin, Director of Public Health for Nottinghamshire, said people who have not taken up the Covid vaccine have often not accepted other vaccines either, such as the flu jab.
Mr Gribbin said: “That often represents the extent to which they are underserved by us.
“I think part of the answer to your question needs to be not just focusing on the uptake of the Covid vaccines, but actually working with communities to make sure that we spent a little longer listening to what their concerns are.”
Councillor David Martin (Ashfield Ind) added: “As we come out of Omicron, people are getting Covid weary.
“It has been more prevalent since New Year’s Eve that the under 40s believe they are more bulletproof.
“They are not using the Track and Trace any more because they are getting apathetic with it.
“The younger the residents are, the more disregarding they are of the system in place.”
Mr Gribbin added: “Many young people have been impacted really badly by Coronavirus over the last two years. I want to thank them for what they have done to stick with the guidance, yes it is onerous.
“Thankfully for so many people it is a mild disease, we only have to go to our hospitals to discover that sadly for some people the complications remain extremely serious.”
