GPs have been left frustrated they cannot vaccinate people at a faster rate leaving some areas racing ahead and already booking in over-55s for their jab while others take much longer to catch up.
Lancashire, south Cumbria, Somerset and Cambridgeshire are among the regions that have given more than 90 per cent of over-70s their first dose. Devon has vaccinated 80.9 per cent of over-70s and Nottinghamshire 82.1 per cent, according to the latest weekly figures published by NHS England.
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However, the figure for London is below 80 per cent, yet despite the fact more than a fifth of the capital’s over-70s haven’t received the jab, healthy people in much lower priority groups have been invited to book their appointment.
Londoner Marcelo Ruffini said: “I’m 55 and healthy and been offered the vaccine next weekend.” One doctor told i that a friend of theirs in Suffolk who has asthma and in their late 50s was vaccinated two weeks ago. Some 15 per cent of over-70s in the county have yet to receive their first jab.
A vaccination centre in east London closed early last week after low uptake of the vaccine forced staff to close early. The John Scott Vaccination Centre sent vaccines to other centres so they would not be wasted, according to officials.
‘Unnecessary’
However, one GP in Hackney told i the closure was “unnecessary”. He said: “The rollout was rapidly scaled back as most upper tiers were vaccinated. Had NHS England not been so ridiculously over-controlling, we could have opened appointments for vaccinations to the next tier and saved everyone’s headache.”
A clinician at a mass vaccination centre in London said they had also seen an initial rush of patients reduce to a trickle as they came towards the end of offering the jab to the first four priority groups.
“It’s quietened down in recent ways but hopefully when we open up to the next age groups it will get really busy again and go up to capacity, which will be great,” they said.
Suzie Shakespeare, Senior Immunisation Nurse, prepares a dose of Oxford/Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)
London GP Dr Jackie Applebee told i: “In Tower Hamlets we are on track to meet the Government’s target. It’s been a huge logistical challenge but the NHS has risen to it and this shows what a well-coordinated public service can do. However, there have been challenges with the short notice of large deliveries, especially with the Pfizer vaccine as once defrosted it has very short shelf life, it’s difficult to get the elderly to appointments at short notice and we have had to wait for the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine to become available to enable more flexibility.
“There was a 30 per cent DNA [did not attend] rate at a practice delivered vaccine clinic last Monday as the weather was so bad the elderly understandably didn’t want to venture out. Also there was a data lag from giving the vaccine to official stats appearing so it looks as if the vaccine rates are worse than they are.
“Many places, rather than waste precious vaccine, will have begun calling in the next cohort, others may be more reluctant to do this for fear of breaking the rules, so creating an apparent postcode lottery. It has been well coordinated, compared with the Test and Trace system, for example but the mass vaccination sites are under used and causing confusion.”
Target reached
The UK Government will meet its target of offering a first dose to all the 15 million people in the UK’s top four priority groups – including all over-70s – by Monday. Wales reached the target on Friday. In total, 89.3 per cent of over-80s in Wales have received their first dose, along with 89.9 per cent of those aged 75-79 and 88.3 per cent of those aged 70-74.
Scotland has vaccinated 99 per cent of all over-75s, excluding those in care homes whose figures are collected separately, but just 78 per cent of 70-74 year-olds living in the community.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “In less than 10 weeks we’ve jabbed over 15 million people across the UK. That’s one in every four adults now starting to receive protection from this dreadful disease.
“This accomplishment is thanks to the incredible efforts of frontline NHS workers, vaccine volunteers, the armed forces and all those working in local and central government. The vaccine rollout shows what our country can achieve working together. There is so much more to do and I urge anyone eligible to step forward and take up their appointment. The vaccine is our route to freedom – we will beat this virus jab by jab.”
