Bucks Council encouraging vaccine uptake to protect vulnerable
Some people are unable to have the vaccine but would be protected by herd immunity
Buckinghamshire residents are being encouraged to have the coronavirus vaccine if they are able to.
The roll out of the coronavirus vaccine started in December with the elderly and those clinically vulnerable.
At the moment, around 61% of Buckinghamshire's population has had both doses.
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However there are some people who due to medical conditions or age may not be able to have the coronavirus vaccine at this time, or ever.
Dan Flecknoe, a Public Health Consultant for Buckinghamshire Council explains:
"With any vaccine program there are people who's immune systems or allergies are not conducive with them having any vaccines.
"Those people are protected by something called herd immunity. If enough of the population are protected, if those people surround you there is nobody in your life who can give you the disease so its a form of indirect protection.
"Herd immunity levels are thought to be somewhere in the 60-80% region. We are achieving that in some areas but we need to achieve that across the population."
According to the Coronavirus data map areas in Buckinghamshire fall between the 60-80% uptake figure mentioned for the first dose.
However, areas like Milton Keynes has an uptake for the first vaccine of 52% at the moment and Oakfield and Castlefield is currently at 57.1%.
Areas like Luton and Hatfield are seeing a lower uptake than others with less than 50% of uptake in the areas.
Drop-in centres and travelling vaccinations vans are being rolled out across the country but there is a focus on areas that are lower on uptake.
The goal of herd immunity following vaccinations is particularly important with no plans to vaccinate under 18s according to Dan.
He also highlighted that while he encourages people to have the vaccine if they are able people should not be questioned on their decision, particularly where a medical reason may be present.
Accessibility to information and people to answer questions is the best way to respond to hesitancy according to Dan.
When it comes to vaccination passports for travel and requirements for job position this is an ongoing issue but its expected medical exemptions will apply for coronavirus as it does with other diseases.