Third of those eligible for jab in city are yet to have it
FEWER than half of those eligible for a jab have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in some boroughs of Greater Manchester, the latest data has shown.
According to government figures, more than 25 million across the UK have received their first dose.
That accounts for approximately 95 per cent of people aged 65 and over. But council-issued data for some areas of Greater Manchester paints a different picture.
In Moss Side, just 45pc of those invited have taken up the offer of a Covid-19 jab. In Fallowfield and Hulme, it’s just over half.
Across all ages, the city of Manchester has the 18th lowest vaccination uptake in the country – with just under a quarter of the population inoculated against Covid-19.
Experts believe efforts are being hindered by a range of factors, including deprivation, language barriers, and misinformation.
Figures released by Manchester council show uptake across the area has been low – with 13 neighbourhoods vaccinating just a fifth of the population.
By comparison, Stockport and
Bury, have given a first dose to more than 37pc of the total population. Coun Bev Craig, executive member for health and wellbeing at Manchester council, said: “Manchester as a whole is a young city, therefore with older residents and clinically vulnerable patients being prioritised it’s natural in the early stages we will see fewer people vaccinated.
“But, in areas where we are seeing lower coverage or uptake or hearing concern about the vaccine among residents, steps are being taken to support them to access the vaccine.”
Just 64pc of those eligible to be vaccinated in Manchester have received a jab. In Levenshulme, where just over half of eligible people have had their shot, the M.E.N. spoke to Antonia Richman.
The 32-year-old GP has been running vaccination clinics in nearby Ardwick – where uptake among eligible population is at 54pc – and is encouraging as many as possible to protect themselves.
But she admits she deals with a lot of hesitancy and reluctance.
Speaking while out near her home with 37-year-old wife Emma, Dr Richman said: “I’m very pro-vaccination so I’ve had my dose. After the recent AstraZeneca news we’ve seen people ringing up worried about blood clots, but the evidence is insubstantial.
“I was vaccinating people at a clinic at the Vallance Centre, and a few people actually walked out when they were told we were using the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“By and large the support is there and people are willing to be jabbed but there are people turned away by the news.”
Her experiences aren’t isolated, as the M.E.N. took to the streets of Levenshulme to ask locals whether they’d been vaccinated. Majid Khamirani, 47, who runs the Happy Memories play centre, feels like he has to get the vaccination – even though he doesn’t really believe in Covid19.
He said: “What is this Covid-19? What is this invisible enemy? I have never seen it. If I don’t take the vaccination I can’t fly, I need to live this life so I will take it.”
Although a large part of the population in the area aren’t eligible for the vaccination yet, only 56pc of those invited to be jabbed in Levenshulme have taken it – with figures for Fallowfield, Hulme, and Moss Side sitting at even lower levels, with 55pc, 50pc, and 45pc of eligible residents vaccinated.
Coun Craig explained that the area was working with partners to pinpoint the areas with lowest uptake, and what could be done to improve those figures.
In Oldham, the next-lowest uptake across the metropolitan borough, just under a third of the population have taken their jab, with more than 87,000 vaccinated against Covid-19.
Rochdale, Tameside, and Salford have all seen just over a third of residents vaccinated, with around 35pc of the population of Wigan, Bolton and Trafford given the jab.