Devon has had one of the largest take-ups of covid vaccination in the country this autumn, but a doctor at the forefront says numbers have dropped due to “vaccine fatigue.” Dr Alex Degan, senior responsible officer for the vaccination programme, said 50 per cent of people eligible had been jabbed so far and he expected that to be come up to around 70 per cent.
People over 65 have been offered the vaccination in this round, together with care home residents, anyone aged six months and over in a clinical risk group, and health and social care staff. A dose is also being offered to people who care for vulnerable individuals and families of people with weakened immune systems.
Dr Degan told Plymouth City Council’s health and social care overview and scrutiny committee that since September more than 210,000 people had been given the vaccine and around 250,000 have had a flu jab, many receiving both at the same time. Almost all (97 per cent) of care homes had been visited across Devon and 90 per cent of care home staff vaccinated. Outreach clinics will continue to the end of January to reach health inequalities’ groups, he said.
“We have been on ships, in churches, mosques and even a chicken factory. The vaccine programme has also allowed us to check people’s blood pressure and identify other problems and get them started on treatments as well. Devon is one of the places in the country with the highest take-up so far, and more care homes have been visited here than anywhere else.”
But he said he did not expect to reach the same levels as in previous years. Last year 72 per cent of those eligible came forward for the jab. “If we turn the clock back three years when we started the vaccination programme the only way people could live a normal life was by being vaccinated and Covid then was a lot more dangerous on a population basis than it is now. I suspect some people have a bit of vaccine fatigue.”
The GP, who is also medical director of the Integrated Care Board (ICB) One Devon, was asked by councillors to include Plymouth’s sex workers in the health inequalities’ groups because they felt they had “been forgotten.”
He said that the county had secured £600,000 to expand the vaccination programme to people in hard to reach groups and that would be to protect them against shingles and MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and other vaccines as well as covid and flu. In the future the ICB will be responsible for all vaccinations including school immunisations which are currently under the remit of NHS England.
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
