Covid: North Tyneside homeless given vaccines

The charity had enough doses for 400 rough sleepers and those in temporary accommodation

Rough sleepers or those in temporary accommodation have been offered coronavirus vaccines.

The charity North East Homeless on North Shields Fish Quay had enough doses to give to 400 homeless people who did not have to book appointments.

Charity founder Brian Burridge said homeless people were "entitled to the jab like everyone else".

One homeless man said he was scared of needles but "did not even feel it" when he had the jab.

Mr Burridge said many wrongly believed they could not have the vaccine if they did not have a fixed address.

"They're still obsessed with thinking they need an address to get this service or whatever," he said.

"Not just the vaccines but anything, and that's not the case. It's about trying to get people to engage with services."

One homeless man said he had been apprehensive at first because he did not like needles

One homeless man said: "I was so looking forward to getting this vaccine, but thought it would be a million years before I would get it.

"But look at me now, I'm stronger than ever. I've had my ups and downs in lockdown, I can't really remember most of it.

"Not at lot was happening so it feels like it was dragging.

"I'm almost willing to forget the mental health crises I've had during it."

'Didn't even feel it'

Another homeless man said he was told by his support worker he could get the jab and went "straight for it".

He said: "I was scared because I hate needles, but when I sat down and had it, I didn't even feel it."

Some homeless people were living on the streets before the government's "Everyone In" scheme, introduced during last year's lockdown, saw them placed in temporary housing.

Rough sleepers and those living in shelters have already been prioritised in Oldham, Greater Manchester and elsewhere in the UK.

The policy came after advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) that they had a higher risk of being seriously affected by Covid-19 and had high rates of other undiagnosed illnesses.

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