Covid-19: 'Deprivation' behind Luton's high infection rate

Luton has the highest Covid-19 rate in England, according to the latest figures

The director of public health for the area with highest Covid-19 rate in England said there was a "strong link" between infections and deprivation.

According to the latest figures, the case rate in Luton was 85.0 per 100,000 people in the week to 16 April.

This was an 3% fall from the previous week and more than three times the England-wide rate.

Lucy Hubber, from Luton's public health team, said the town was "a bit of a perfect environment" for Covid-19.

She said Luton had "a much slower rate of decline than anywhere else of the country".

Ms Hubber, director of public health at Luton Council, said Covid-19 "thrives where there is deprivation; it thrives where people live in a very dense population".

Luton's Covid marshals have been handing out rapid lateral flow tests

She said Luton was "quite like a London borough in that we have a lot of people living close together".

"We know there is a strong link with Covid and deprivation," she added.

'Struggling to attend jabs'

Ms Hubber said since a February a "number of people" have had to isolate after international travel.

"We do have a population who have strong links back to other countries, and travel does increase the chances of testing positive," she added.

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She also said the town had a "slightly lower" rate of vaccination take-up.

About 79% of over-50s have received a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in the area, the second-lowest rate outside London.

Luton successfully emerged from a local lockdown in July and was praised by Boris Johnson

Figures for Luton were unavailable for second doses, but in the NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes CCG area, 24% of over-50s have had their second dose.

Ms Hubber said it was not residents refusing to have the vaccine, but "a lot people who struggle to make appointments".

She said the council had run an "open weekend" for vaccinations and would be organising more to improve take-up.

The authority has also been handing out rapid lateral flow Covid-19 tests in the town centre in an attempt to diagnose asymptomatic cases.