Dorset's booster jab campaign continues despite staff shortages
More than 80 per cent of eligible adults in the county have now received their booster jab
Last updated 5th Jan 2022
Staff shortages aren't likely to slow down the booster jab rollout in Dorset, according to the clinical lead for the coronavirus vaccination programme in Dorset.
But there are warnings everyday services like routine check-ups are going to struggle in the coming weeks as more staff self-isolate.
Last night the Prime Minister announced no new plans for restrictions in England as national cases hit more than 200,000 for the first time. 48 new deaths were also reported.
Boris Johnson also announced daily tests for 100,000 essential workers
Dr Andy Rutland, clinical lead for the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Dorset, said: "I'm happy that as we stand at the moment, we can continue offering the booster campaign that we're running, we can continue to work through that.
"I am concerned that the workforce absences related to the current surge in Covid across the healthcare community as a whole does risk the speed with which patients can access services."
82 per cent of all eligible people in Dorset have been given the booster jab, mostly thanks to three weeks of intense focus between the middle of December and New Year.
That's meant there are far fewer vaccines to deliver now, and not as many staff are required. The campaign has also been bolstered by volunteers.
Dr Rutland added:
"We're desperate to pick up those who've had no vaccine at all yet, those who have had a delay to their second dose, and certainly those who have had a delay to their boosters.
"We've still got a huge amount of work to do, not in the same drive for numbers but the same drive to make sure everyone's got the vaccine.
"We're still really helped by all our volunteers and our returning vaccinators, but they're also not immune to Covid so we're having numbers of those self-isolating.
"There is added pressure with the current surge in infections.
"We're in a far healthier position than I think we would have been had we carried on with the previous rollout of boosters. The real hope is the booster campaign has done it's bit to, if not halt omicron in it's tracks, reduce the risk of serious disease from it."