Thousands in Dorset yet to take up Covid booster vaccination

The BBC visited a pop-up Covid vaccination clinic for homeless people in Bournemouth

Thousands of people have yet to take up the Covid booster vaccination on offer in Dorset this winter, the NHS has said.

It said 40% of those eligible for the jab have not come forward - estimated to be more than 130,800 people.

They include the elderly, carers and those who are immunosuppressed, Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust added.

Local health leaders warned time was running out with the booster rollout due to finish in three weeks' time.

They have urged the over-65s and the clinically vulnerable to come forward before it is too late.

More than 200,000 people in the county have been vaccinated since the start of the latest booster programme.

And more than 6,000 housebound patient vaccinations have been given in people's homes, helping the south west of England to be named number one in the country for protecting the most vulnerable patients against the virus.

Care home vaccinations administered in October put Dorset in the top 3% of the country for successfully vaccinating residents as a priority cohort during the first month of the programme.

Sally Terry, a Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust vaccinator, said: "There is a bit of inertia within the community and the wider demographics outside of our service.

"People aren't coming forward. Teams are trying to work together to work out why this is happening and how we can best access getting information out there of the importance of keeping yourself boosted and your immunity high."

Big Issue seller Joe said it was not easy for homeless people to access medical treatment

The BBC visited a pop-up vaccination clinic supporting the homeless at the YMCA in Bournemouth.

Walk-in clinics are a good way to reach out to some of the most vulnerable people in communities.

"You never know what's wrong with you but you just keep going - that's part of being homeless, you just tend to ignore any ailments you might have," Big Issue seller Joe said after he got his Covid jab.

He continued: "When you're homeless it's not easy to get access to medical treatment so anything like this you've got to take advantage of.

"I think we should all be doing our part - whether you're homeless or you're the prime minister."

The seasonal vaccination rollout ends on 15 December.