Deprived areas of Bristol showing low vaccine uptake

Barton Hill has the lowest uptake for Covid vaccinations in Bristol

Covid vaccine clinics have been set up in areas of Bristol where take up is low to encourage people to get the jab.

Only 50% of eligible people have had their first Covid vaccine in Barton Hill, the lowest levels of take up in the city.

One resident said: "I don't feel the need for it at the moment."

Dr Karen Hill, who has been helping to set up and run the clinics, said some people did not have the means to travel for appointments.

The government is encouraging all eligible people to get vaccinated to help prevent the spread of the new Covid variant, Omicron

Dr Hill said areas like Barton Hill have a lot of deprived groups, many of whom also did not have the internet or smartphones that would alert them about being called for a vaccination.

"So a lot of them just weren't aware that they were being invited and there was a lot of hesitancy among groups," she added.

Samira Musse, co-founder of Barton Hill Activity Club, said she was very concerned about the low rate of uptake in her area.

"There's a lot of encouragement, a lot of door knocking that needs to be done again.

"We need to bring that strong message back.

"The area is really overpopulated so we really need people getting vaccinated now because of the new variant."

Ms Musse said many people, like her, live in tower blocks in Barton Hill. "The risk is very high, you see everyone in the lifts and the corridors. It's a small space."

Samira Musse said the effort put in to encourage people to get vaccinated the first time round needs to be brought back

In Hartcliffe 70% of people have had one vaccination and just over 60% have had two, lower than the national average and significantly lower than the rest of the city.

Christopher Batt, who lives in Hartcliffe, said: "I'm not an anti-vaxxer but there's not enough information about the adverse side effects or anything that could happen in the future."

Mr Batt said he had cancer during lockdown. "Nothing will convince me to have it. I'm in the high risk category and I haven't got sick," he added.

A vaccine drop-in event at Hartcliffe and Withywood Community Partnership this week was described as "packed".

Sarah Fowles, who worked there, said: "I think accessibility is a big thing. The closest (clinic) to here is in Knowle and it's quite hard to get there if you rely on public transport."

Bristol recently confirmed its first case of the Omicron variant, which is spreading throughout the UK.