Young not rushing to have jab

YOUNGER patients are less engaged with the vaccination programme, says to staff at the Henley surgeries.

The Hart Surgery is now offering the first dose of the vaccine to 29-year-olds following a number of cancellations last week.

The surgery has given 6,593 first doses, representing about 63 per cent of all patients. More than 4,100 second doses have been administered, with 40 per cent of adults using the surgery having had both jabs.

Practice manager Sarah Moberly said: “We are finding that as we move down to lower age groups they appear to be less engaged with the vaccine programme and it is proving harder to get them in. 

“And now that many people are back at work, they are less flexible as to appointment times and that is proving a problem, too.

“We have been particularly busy this week and last week as the reduction of the gap between the two doses was reduced from 10 weeks to eight weeks so we have been catching up with that.”

At the Bell Surgery, 5,716 patients have had their first jab, which is 60 per cent of the surgery’s patients, while 3,803 have now had both doses.

At Sonning Common Health Centre more than 1,800 vaccines were administered in May and it has now offered the first jab to 79 per cent of its adult patient population, while 45 per cent of its patients are now fully vaccinated.

At Wargrave surgery, 4,750 patients have received the first dose of the vaccine and 2,980 have received both jabs. All patients over 50 are now fully vaccinated.

Goring and Woodcote’s joint medical practice has administered more than 9,000 vaccinations and is now inviting patients over the age of 18 to book an appointment for their first jab.

A clinic for patients aged over 18 will be held at Wallingford Community Hospital today (Friday June 4) from 12pm to 6pm.

There were 31 covid-19 cases in South Oxfordshire in the last seven days, an increase of 26 compared with the previous week.

The infection rate is now 21.8 per 100,000 of the population, while the number of deaths remains at 163.

The new strain of the virus, the Indian variant, is believed to be more transmissible than others and even people who have been vaccinated twice have been hospitalised a result. Six cases have been reported in Reading and two in South Oxfordshire.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned this could affect the target date for ending coronavirus restrictions, June 21.