Covid-19: Cornwall fishing industry invited to pop-up clinic

Shore-based support staff and families are also invited to attend

Members of the fishing community are being urged to attend a pop-up Covid-19 vaccination clinic.

Migrant crew members, local fishermen and women and their families can get jabbed in Newlyn, Cornwall, on Tuesday.

Mike Dale, from the charity Fishermen's Mission, said the workers "can't guarantee where they'll be on a day to get the Covid vaccine".

Organisers said they had chosen a date for the clinic when many boats would be in port.

They hope the pop-up clinic will help prevent outbreaks of Covid-19 on board boats, and enable the fishing community to secure vaccine status so some can travel home.

It is hoped the jabs will prevent outbreaks on fishing vessels

Mr Dale said: "It is really difficult. They can't pop out of an office for 30 minutes.

"It's really important to think that they can't miss a [fishing] trip, especially at this time of year when the weather is really challenging.

"If you miss a trip because you've got your Covid vaccine, that could be seven days' worth of work and it could be your only opportunity to earn a wage that month."

The event at the Seafood Cornwall Training Hub has been organised by Healthy Cornwall, which is part of Cornwall Council's Public Health team.

It is the fourth time this year the dedicated pop-up vaccination clinic has opened in Newlyn.