Jab uptake in young adults is fifth lowest in the country

STUDENTS URGED TO GET VACCINATED

NOTTINGHAM remains one of the areas with the highest percentage of unvaccinated young adults.

According to recent Government figures, the city is the fifth-highest for unvaccinated 18 to 29-year-olds in England, with more than 44 percent opting not to get a dose of the Covid vaccine.

It ranks closely behind Liverpool (45.7 percent) and Islington (45.8 percent) with Coventry (48.8 percent) and Birmingham (50.3 percent) also lagging behind.

There were, as of Sunday, just under 100,000 people between 18 and 29 eligible for vaccination in Nottingham.

However, just 55,641 of them have had their first dose.

Once categorised even more specifically, 25 to 29-year-olds are shown to account for more of the unvaccinated percentage, with just 41 percent having had their first jab.

Eighteen to 24-year-olds have a near 60 percent first jab uptake rate.

In comparison, 70 percent of those over 30 years old have received at least one jab.

Across the UK as a whole, there are nearly 5.9 million people who are eligible for a jab but who have yet to receive any vaccine. About five million are in England, 402,000 in Scotland, 237,000 in Wales and 198,000 in Northern Ireland.

Speaking recently, Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, urged more young people to get the jab during freshers’ week.

“Starting university is a really exciting time and getting your Covid vaccine means you will be armed with maximum protection against the virus,” he said.

“With many universities set to run pop-ups and walk-ins throughout the first weeks of term it has never been easier to get protected, so I urge anyone yet to be vaccinated to take up the offer as soon as possible.”