Somerset woman, 91, waits eight months for booster jab

Sonia Coldicutt has waited for eight months for a booster jab

A 91-year-old woman says she feels "forgotten" as she and her husband wait eight months for a Covid booster jab.

Sonia Coldicutt is housebound and cares for her 93-year-old husband, Peter, who has dementia.

The couple, from Minehead, Somerset, had their second jab in April and are still waiting to receive a booster.

The Somerset Covid Vaccination Programme said they will be visiting all housebound vulnerable patients before Christmas.

Mrs Coldicutt said: "If I or Peter got it (coronavirus) we wouldn't last very long because we've both got weak hearts.

"I feel forgotten."

Sonia Coldicutt is housebound and cares for her 93-year-old partner Peter

Mr and Mrs Coldicutt are among the 1,000 housebound residents in Somerset still waiting for their booster jabs.

• 'Booster jabs are worth queueing for'

• Long booster jab wait for housebound people

• 'Booster jab protects myself and other people'

Kath Blake, from West Bagborough, is a full-time carer for her parents, who are both in their 80s and have dementia, and said she is also struggling to get them a jab.

Her parents both received their second vaccination in March and have been waiting nine months for their booster.

Kath Blake cares for her two parents who are both in their 80s and have dementia

Ms Blake is worried that her parents could catch the virus from her.

She explained that she was able to transport them in a vehicle for their first and second jabs, which they were able to queue up for, but said that is no longer possible.

"This time they're not so lucky," she said.

"They've been a bit poorly so it's very difficult to get them out to a vehicle to get them somewhere to be vaccinated."

She said that the pair have since been put on their GPs homebound list but are yet to receive a Covid booster.

Health bosses for the Somerset Covid Vaccination Programme said they are working to ensure that the housebound and vulnerable are protected.

"We want to ensure that we are protecting the most vulnerable people in Somerset and are therefore continuing to work with GP practices in the county to visit those who are housebound and to ensure that vulnerable patients...are successfully vaccinated," said Dr Alex Murray, joint senior responsible officer for the Somerset vaccination programme.