£500k to boost vaccine take-up
Sunderland is to get more than £500,000 to spend tackling life-threatening fake news about the covid vaccine, and encouraging people to get the jab.
The North East has been given almost £2million from the Government to spread accurate information about the virus, particularly among those at greatest risk – the elderly, the disabled, and BAME communities.
Sunderland City Council’s share is £510,000, which totals £23million across 60 councils. It will be used to set up networks of ‘Community Champions’ where they don’t already exist to overcome language barriers or other difficulties and provide trusted advice about coronavirus and vaccinatio n rollout.
It will also be used to support helplines, school programmes, and phone calls to people in at-risk groups, in a bid to expose dangerous misinformation and encourage everyone to get vaccinated.
A recent poll from the Royal Society of Public Health found that just 57% of Black, Asian and minority ethnic
people would be happy to have a covid vaccine, compared to 79% of white people, amid fears about false claims being spread on social media.
It comes as the Sunderland Echo runs its Shot in the Arm campaign, calling on the Government to enlist the UK’s network of local pharmacies to help bring vaccines closer to people’s doorsteps.
It also asked the Government to start providing far more easy-to-access information on the vaccine programme – and timetable – to provide families, particularly elderly and clinically vulnerable, with the reassurance that they’ve not been forgotten.
Announcing the funding on Monday, the Government pledged that a variety of communities would be targeted for support, including Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, people with learning disabilities, as well as faith groups.
Local government secretary Robert Jenrick said: “It is vital everyone has access to accurate and up-to-date information about Covid-19. False information could cost lives.
“Today’s funding will help councils and community groups expand some of the excellent work already underway and reach out to their communities to ensure they have the information they need and get their questions answered. Ultimately, this funding will help save lives.”