Frustration over Covid booster roll-out as figures reveal jab disparities

The statistics - published exactly a year after the first coronavirus vaccinations - show Norfolk in the top 10 in England for the number of overall jabs given.

However, they indicate large variations in rates in different council areas. Broadland is ranked at the very top of England's charts for the percentage of people given first and second doses, yet Great Yarmouth and Norwich sit nearer the bottom of that national table.

The relatively poor performance of Yarmouth and Norwich is particularly evident in their rates for booster vaccinations and 'third' jabs - an 'extra' dose given to certain vulnerable groups.

It comes amid growing concern over the sluggish pace of the expanded booster roll-out, unveiled more than a week ago by the government as the central part of its bid to stem the spread of the Omicron variant.

In other developments:

• Prime minister Boris Johnson told his cabinet Omicron appears to be "more transmissible" than Delta
• But the impact of the strain remained unclear and the cabinet did not discuss Plan B restrictions this winter
• In Wales, health minister Eluned Morgan said "a significant wave" of Omicron would hit, peaking by the end of January.

When the government announced the booster campaign last week, health secretary Sajid Javid said the programme would be "on steroids", while Mr Johnson said temporary vaccination centres would pop up “like Christmas trees".

Under the expanded campaign, ministers said people would be eligible for jabs sooner and everyone over 18 would be offered one by the end of January.

But there is growing frustration that, despite the government announcement more than a week ago, the NHS has not yet been able to make those vaccinations available, and so far no extra centres have been opened locally. There have also been accounts of confusion among people, uncertain when their age group can expect to be jabbed.

According to reports, the number of booster jabs in England at the weekend actually dropped, compared with the weekend before.

Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has urged patience while the clinical guidance to allow the newly eligible groups to be jabbed is in place, and new sites are established to increase the rates.

But a Norfolk MP has criticised the government for the growing sense of frustration over when the 'ramping up' will be seen.

Clive Lewis, Norwich South Labour MP, was getting his booster jab in London on Tuesday. But he said: "I have been completely confused by the messaging. I originally thought I could just go to a walk-in centre to get one, but then found I needed to book online.

"When I did that I was just going round in circles. And then I got a message through work saying I could go to a medical centre in St John's Wood [in London] to get the jab.

"I know from people who volunteer to give the jabs that I'm not the only person who was left confused by it all.

"This isn't the fault of the NHS or the CCG in Norfolk. The blame is with the government messaging."

The first year anniversary statistics, however, indicate several success stories for the region.

Broadland ranks number one in England for the percentage of first doses (90.6pc) and second for second doses (84.6pc), with South Norfolk and North Norfolk also in the top 10.

But the figures show take-up has not been as successful in Norwich or Great Yarmouth.

Norwich ranks 243rd out of 315 local council areas for first doses (77.6pc) and 242nd for second doses (70.9pc). Yarmouth is 207th (80.9pc) for first doses and 205th (74.3pc) for second doses.

And when it comes to third and booster doses only 25.2pc of people in Norwich have had those jabs, ranking it 278th in England. Yarmouth is at 33.4pc, ranking it 204th. The overall figure for Norfolk is 38.4pc - ranking it 29th.

Part of the reason for Norwich's low percentage for third and boosters is that the average age in the city, according to the 2020 census is 43.8 - so the majority of people will not yet be able to get their booster jabs.

But Norwich and Yarmouth also have pockets of deprivation, where it has been harder to get the jab message across.

Last week, bosses from the Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) talked about the challenge of encouraging jab take-up.

Howard Martin, director of population health management and health inequalities at Norfolk and Waveney CCG, said: “Norfolk and Waveney continues to perform strongly and has consistently been in the top 10 highest performing health and care systems out of 42 in England for first and second doses.

"Our booster programme continues at pace and 74pc of the currently eligible population have now had a booster in Norfolk and Waveney.

“We know there is a very strong correlation between higher deprivation and lower uptake, which has been a significant focus of ours for some time now.

"This has included the use of mobile vaccination buses to reach areas of lower uptake in conjunction with on the ground local initiatives, including leafleting and door knocking.”

North Norfolk, where the first Omicron variant of the virus was identified at the end of last month, has the 13th highest third and booster jab take-up in England - 45pc.

East Suffolk ranks 18th for third and booster jabs with 44.3pc, while Norfolk's other districts are between 47th and 57th.

Norwich South MP Clive Lewis (Image: Chris McAndrew)

Labour MP Mr Lewis said getting jabs into more deprived parts of Norfolk had been made harder by the loss of community facilities such as Sure Start centres due to the austerity programme.

He said they would have been "perfect" for getting the message of the importance of vaccinations across.

And the CCG's Mr Martin added: “Getting your booster vaccine is the most important thing you can do ahead of Christmas to protect yourself and your family.

"If you are eligible please take up the offer as soon as possible and come forward for your first and second doses too if you haven’t already."