Covid latest: Here's why thousands of unvaccinated Luton residents will get a knock on their door this bank holiday

Health officials will be door knocking on thousands of households in areas of Luton with lower vaccination uptake over the bank holiday weekend in an effort to boost protection levels against Covid-19.

More than 20 members of a NHS and Public Health vaccination engagement team will personally call in on homes as they bid to increase the uptake of the jab.

The door-to-door teams will be on hand to understand the barriers that have meant some people have yet to be vaccinated and point them to the closest walk-in centres where they can go and get the life-saving jab.

To support the work, the Luton Vaxi Taxi service will be in attendance to offer free travel to those who may find the cost a barrier to attending a vaccination centre appointment.

Geraint Davies, Senior Responsible Officer for the Vaccination Programme, from Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The vaccination programme has already substantially reduced the risk from severe Covid-19 in the UK population.

"The more people who have the vaccine, the better our chance of beating the virus. It is more than just about protecting yourself; it’s also the best way to protect your friends and loved ones. In order to help people to get protected and try to increase the local uptake, our door-to-door teams will be out on the August Bank Holiday weekend to advise everyone how they can get their vaccination.

“Every vaccination that we give counts. We have worked incredibly hard to ensure we have a range of vaccination options for the Luton public, from community pharmacy sites, to large vaccination centres and, with the support of Luton Council, we even have Vaxi Taxis to help with transport.”

Laura Church, Deputy Chief Executive at Luton Council said: “The vaccine is the best defence we have against the Covid-19 virus and by getting vaccinated you will not only protect yourself, but you’ll be helping us to build resilience which in turn will help to reduce the spread of the virus in our local communities.

“The public will be much more at risk if we don’t see increases in the numbers of those that are vaccinated. I’m genuinely worried about what that will mean for our population if we don’t see the uptake to match others in our area.”

Vaccinations are open to all those aged 16 and over and many sites support walk in sessions. No appointment or ID is needed, other than proof that you do live in Luton.

All remaining 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds who are not within three months of their 18th birthday have been contacted through letters and text messages, to be offered one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.

Vaccination sites support giving first or second doses, however, second doses are only given to those aged 18 and over and if it has been at least eight weeks since the first vaccination.

Door-to-door teams will deliver information to houses on Friday, August 27 and will be visiting homes in low uptake areas on Saturday 28, Sunday 29 and Monday, August 30.

Further details of walk-in sessions taking place across Luton can be found at www.blmkccg.nhs.uk/drop-inInformation on the COVID-19 vaccination programme can be found at www.blmkccg.nhs.uk/covid-19/