Vaccination rate highest among property owners

Religion, ethnicity and job status are also shown to be heavily linked to uptake of the jab, research reveals

HOMEOWNERS are more likely than renters to have been vaccinated, the first official breakdown of uptake figures in the over-50s has shown.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that the probability of someone accepting the jab is heavily linked to ethnicity, religion, language skills, job level and housing situation.

The figures show that the vaccination rate among homeowners is 93.7 per cent, but it is just 84.2 per cent for those who rent privately. It was slightly higher for people renting social housing, at 86.6 per cent.

Religion also appeared to play a role in uptake, with 93.2 per cent of Christians accepting a jab, the highest of any religion, compared with 78.8 per cent of Muslims – the lowest. The rate for those of no religion was 90.7 per cent.

Job status was also linked to vaccination rates, with 93.1 per cent of professionals and higher managerial positions having the jab, compared with 77 per cent of people who were unemployed, or who had never worked.

And there was a relationship with proficiency in the English language, with the lowest vaccination rates in those who do not speak English at all (75.3 per cent ).

The ONS analysed data from the National Immunisation Management Service on people over 50 between Dec 8 and April 12, linking it to people’s NHS numbers.

Hugh Stickland, the head of strategy and engagement at the ONS, said the lower rates are broadly similar to the groups who express vaccine hesitancy.

“However, the reasons for lower uptake are likely to be complex, including for example being unable to travel to a vaccination centre,” he added.

Older black adults remain the ethnic group least likely to have received a jab, with figures suggesting around three in 10 have not been vaccinated.

The lowest rates were estimated among those aged 50 and over identifying as black Caribbean and black African, at 66.8 per cent and 71.2 per cent respectively. This compares with 93.7 per cent of white British adults.

Statistical modelling showed the odds of not having received a dose of a vaccine were 7.4 times greater for people from black Caribbean backgrounds compared with people of white British ethnicity.

After adjusting for age, sex, socio-demographic characteristics and underlying health conditions, the odds were still 5.6 times greater.

For people identifying as black African, the unadjusted odds were six times greater, while the adjusted odds were 3.4 times higher.

Dr Habib Naqvi, director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, said: “Although steps have been taken to increase levels of confidence and trust in the vaccine amongst our diverse populations, the figures in this report show there is still more work to be done.”

Disabled people who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities had a vaccination rate of 89.3 per cent, compared with 92.3 per cent for non-disabled people.

Salman Waqar, of the British Islamic Medical Association, said the situation was improving in Muslim communities, with imams joining forces with healthcare professionals to increase trust.

“More work and investment is needed to continue building confidence and easing access to vaccines,” he said.