Appeal to young people in East Berkshire to get Covid vaccine
Health services says fewer in this age group are coming forward
Last updated 2nd Jul 2021
A direct appeal has gone out to people aged 18-30 in East Berkshire, who have not had their coronavirus vaccine.
Frimley CCG - which covers Windsor and Maidenhead, Slough and Bracknell Forest - is currently targeting this age group as part of efforts to increase vaccine uptake.
Sarah Bellars is the CCG's Covid Vaccination Lead and tells Greatest Hits Radio that they have seen fewer numbers within this demographic coming forward, than in older age groups:
"We are struggling to fill our clinics in the way that we almost had waiting lists for clinics for the other age groups.
"It has been quite well documented that younger people are less affected by Covid and so potentially some of the concerns could be do they really need it"
"I think it is really important that we have the opportunity to talk to them so we can explain that it is really important that they get the vaccine so we can reduce transmission within the community."
She said they are targeting the group via social media - using platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
And she said anyone with concerns should contact their GP practice.
Ms Bellars also said they were looking at doing more pop-up clinics - and were trying first to establish where there was less uptake.
She said Slough was one location with a diverse population with people more hesitant to come forward.
She said there were good locations in East Berkshire for vaccination sites, such as the Salt Hill Centre in Slough, the town all in Maidenhead, the Windsor Yards shopping mall in the High Street in Windsor and the Waitrose headquarters in Bracknell, as well as a GP surgery in the Ringmead area.
Walk-in clinics were also being used, such as in Maidenhead, for example, with people on the streets on Saturdays, with banners, directing people to the sites.
Ms Bellars said it is never too late to have the Covid vaccine - anyone of any age who has not yet had it, "there is a vaccine with your name on it".