Hammersmith Vaccine Rates Lagging Behind
Mass vaccination centre at the Novotel Hotel due to open
Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter receiving his vaccination
The latest official figures show that the Hammersmith area is lagging behind in terms of the number of elderly residents having received the Covid-19 vaccine.
At the end of last month local districts had a take up rate for the first dose of between 70 and 80% for over 65s with just two thirds of senior citizens in the Lillie Road & Greyhound Road areas having received a jab.
This is significantly below the national average with NHS England figures showing that 93.6% of over-65s across the country had received their first dose by 28 February.
Uptake figures are based on the latest population estimates by Public Health England's National Immunisation Management Service (NIMS).
Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter received his vaccine recently and he said, “My own experience of getting jabbed – quick, safe and painless – mirrors that of almost everyone who has contacted me, and the programme is a huge tribute not only to every member of NHS and council staff and every volunteer but to the capacity of the NHS as an institution, even in its reduced state, to roll out a project on this scale.
“But we could be doing a lot better. I was shocked to find that not one of the five dispensing outlets in Hammersmith received any vaccine last week, and in the case of all but one precious little this year. We have been hitting our targets in terms of numbers, but we could have been doing so much better were the supplies there.”
| Covid-19 Vaccinations to 28 February | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | 65-69 | 70-74 | 75-79 | 80+ | Population over 65 | Percentage vaccinated over-65 |
Hammersmith Broadway |
191 |
192 |
127 |
221 |
966 |
75.7 |
| Lillie Road & Greyhound Road (MSOA Hammersmith and Fulham 016) |
132 |
111 |
106 |
109 |
687 |
66.7 |
Ravenscourt Park South |
160 |
179 |
130 |
162 |
799 |
79.0 |
Ravenscourt Park North |
220 |
235 |
171 |
243 |
1074 |
80.9 |
| West Kensington (MSOA Hammersmith and Fulham 012) |
239 |
260 |
191 |
288 |
1393 |
70.2 |
Brackenbury |
139 |
173 |
109 |
148 |
737 |
77.2 |
Brook Green |
213 |
193 |
140 |
180 |
996 |
72.9 |
| Barons Court (MSOA Hammersmith and Fulham 014) |
109 |
104 |
70 |
81 |
520 |
70.0 |
Fulham Reach |
219 |
236 |
192 |
249 |
1182 |
75.8 |
For the purpose of gathering this data the Office of National Statistics divides the country up into Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs). Source: ONS
The MP has raised the issue of why financial support has not been given to London boroughs with low take up rates including Hammersmith and Fulham in the Commons. He commented, “Plenty went to rural areas and towns where take up is already high (yes, I am aware this is turning into a pattern).”
The first mass vaccination centre in the borough opens at the Novotel hotel in Hammersmith on Monday 15 March. Previously people had been directed to Wembley or Westminster.
The hotel, located between Hammersmith Road and Talgarth Road, is a short walk from Hammersmith tube and bus stations.
The new centre comes as the NHS is inviting local residents aged 50 and over and people with long term health conditions to receive their jabs.
The new vaccination centre at the Novotel London West is run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, in partnership with Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
Novotel Hammersmith to host new vaccination centre
“I’m really glad we were able to support the NHS by negotiating the use of the Novotel as a new vaccination centre,” said H&F Leader, Cllr Stephen Cowan.
“Its central Hammersmith location is perfect and the extra capacity it offers means we’re able to get many more people vaccinated and to do so with greater speed.
“This is how we’re turning the tide on Covid-19. The vaccines are the safest way of making sure local people are protected from this dreadful illness and we can get our economy back up to strength and move our lives forward.”
In addition to the mass vaccination centre at the Novotel, local GPs are continuing to invite their patients to three other local vaccination sites within the borough.
Hammersmith & Fulham has seen Covid-19 infection rates tumble with cases per 100,000 falling to just 35 in the week to 6 March, below the average for London.
People aged 55 an over are now being invited to book an appointment to get a vaccine.
As well as those meeting the age requirement you are also invited to book an appointment for the vaccine if you are:
- at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
- an eligible frontline health or social care worker
- you have a condition that puts you at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)
- you have a learning disability
- a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus
You need to be registered with a GP in England to make a booking. GPs have been told to prepare to receive twice as many doses in March.
There have been reports of vaccine shortages locally last week but this Saturday (6 March) at the medical centre on Fisher’s Lane there were a significant number of jabs being given out with the queue being compromised of people mainly at the lower end of the eligible age requirement.
Over 2,000,000 people have now been vaccinated in London equivalent to 29% of the population.
The figures also show that one in four social care staff still haven't been vaccinated with the rate falling to just 58% in London.
In the week ending the 28 February an additional 2,249,002 people were reported to have received an NHS vaccination for COVID-19 in England. This took the total number of people vaccinated with at least one dose to17,179,491.
Of those vaccinated, 598,345 people have received a second dose, taking the total number of vaccinations given to 17,777,836.
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March 12, 2021