Covid vaccine buses make their way around Black Country as three in five now double jabbed
Mobile vaccine buses are making their way around the Black Country – as new figures show more than three in five adults across the UK have had their second jab.
The vaccine bus has moved to East Park in Wolverhampton today, while another bus has been at Moor Street centre car park in Brierley Hill since yesterday.
In Wolverhampton, the targeted programme is aimed at taking the vaccine into communities where it is needed most. While at East Park, NHS and public health staff and volunteers, along with local community champions, will be offering the vaccine to any adults without the need for an appointment.
The bus will be in East Park, off Hickman Avenue, today and Friday between 3pm and 8pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 6pm. Both the Pfizer-BiNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines will be available, as well as first and second doses.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Working in partnership with the NHS and local GPs, the bus is proving an effective way of getting the vaccine to where it is needed most and is helping to protect some of our more vulnerable communities.
“We have seen good uptake at the bus so far, and have plenty of vaccines available so, if you haven’t had your first or second jab yet, come along to East Park this week and get it. Please also spread the word; if you know someone who hasn’t had theirs yet, let them know they can get it at the vaccine bus this weekend, too.”
While the Covid vaccine bus will be located at the Moor Street Centre car park in Brierley Hill today and tomorrow between noon and 8pm, and on Saturday between 9am and 5pm. No prior appointments are needed.
It comes as new figures show more than three in five adults in the UK have received a second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. A total of 75,188,79 doses have been administered in total – with 43,448,680 people across the UK having received their first dose and 31,740,115 having had both doses.
The Government met its target of offering a vaccine to the most vulnerable by April 15, and is on track to offer a first dose to all adults by July 19, two weeks earlier than planned. NHS England has also extended the offer of a vaccine to everyone aged 18 and over.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The vaccination team have been working incredibly hard to provide people with much-needed protection from this life-threatening disease.
“With more and more evidence emerging on just how effective two doses of our vaccines are in protecting against the Delta variant, it’s a great to see three in five adults have been double jabbed, so we’re well on our way to the whole country getting the fullest possible protection.
“We’re so close now to ensuring the entire adult population is protected – now everyone aged 18 and above can make an appointment, so make sure you book in for your first and second doses as soon as possible.”
In the Midlands, 6,773,588 first doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered, while 5,166,034 second doses have been carried out. The data includes vaccinations carried out between December 8 and June 22.
While, a further 26 coronavirus deaths have been confirmed in the region's care homes.
However no further deaths have been announced in hospitals in the Black Country, Staffordshire or Birmingham in the latest figures – meaning the total number of deaths remains at 7,624.
Meanwhile 26 deaths were confirmed in the region's care homes in the latest figures – meaning 1,508 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19.
In figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this week, eight deaths were confirmed in Staffordshire, seven in Birmingham, five in Wolverhampton, three in Sandwell, two in Walsall and one in Dudley.
NHS England confirmed a further 11 deaths on Wednesday in the country's hospitals.
Overall, 806 patients have died at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, 746 at the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and 726 at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.
A total of 1,179 have died at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, and 1,381 deaths at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust.
And 2,624 people have died at the University Hospitals of Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
