Spring boosters rolled out to vulnerable groups in Northampton

The NHS announced on Monday that vulnerable groups can now come forward to get their spring booster vaccines against Covid-19

The NHS has started rolling out its Spring vaccine programme against Covid-19 this week. About 5m people vulnerable people - including care home residents, the over-75s and people who are immuno-suppressed - will be eligible to receive the booster.

Northamptonshire recorded 6,029 Covid-19 cases in the week up to and including 17 March, which is a 32% rise from the previous week.

How do people getting their booster at Moulton Park Vaccine Centre feel about the Spring programme?

"Cancer treatment has left me vulnerable"

Roger Cooper says the relaxation of the government's Covid-19 rules worries him

Roger Cooper, from Moulton, said he was "quite happy" to keep "boosting" his immunity with the Spring vaccine.

He received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer three years ago, followed by "major" surgery and chemotherapy.

The treatment had affected his immune system, he said.

"Anything that can be done to increase the lifespan [...] is beneficial," he said about the vaccine.

Mr Cooper said he had not had much social contact for the past two years because he is vulnerable to Covid-19.

He said he thinks there is "not even any good quality guidance".

"It concerns me that the government has relaxed all the regulations," he said.

"Better to be safe than sorry"

Tony Campion said he thinks Covid vaccines will be something people have every year

Northampton couple Tony and Jan Campion, both aged 76, say they will never tire of receiving Covid-19 vaccines.

Mrs Campion said it had been seven months since her last Covid-19 vaccine.

She has "never been concerned" about the Covid-19 vaccinations and was receiving her Spring booster.

Mr Campion was receiving his fourth vaccine and said he wanted it because it is "better to be safe than sorry" with Covid-19.

"Scary thing"

Elizabeth Dailly said going on holiday was "a bit of a push" to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

Nineteen-year-old Elizabeth Dailly, from Northampton, is receiving her second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine during the Spring programme.

Going to get the vaccine is a "scary thing", she said.

Ms Dailly said difficulty getting time off work to get the vaccine when she was initially offered her first dose was the main reason she did not get it straight away.

She said she decided to get the jab to protect other people and hoped it would help overcome travel restrictions some countries place on unvaccinated travellers.

"Covid is still real"

Anna Dorothy said there are "thousands" of appointments available for eligible people to get their Spring booster

Anna Dorothy, deputy director of the Northamptonshire Covid Vaccination Programme, said the aim of the Spring booster programme is "protecting the most vulnerable part of our population".

Ms Dorothy said she does expect eligible people to come forward for their Spring booster, but "we do expect a level of fatigue as well".

"It's really important people don't become complacent at this stage," she said about the Covid-19 case numbers in Northamptonshire.

"This is still real. This is still a dangerous disease," she added, but people who are unvaccinated against Covid are "not a lost cause".

"We've been really encouraged over the last three or four weeks by the amount of people coming forward for their first [vaccine]," she said.

"Either because it's taken a lot of time for some of the education to land, some people have wanted to actually see how it all pans out and get better vaccine confidence."

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