Issue - meetings

Report attached.

The Managing Director of the local Integrated Care Partnership advised that 76% of the eligible population in Havering had received the first of the Covid-19 vaccine and 57% had received a second dose. Efforts were continuing to vaccinate everybody over 80 years of age but young people were also being targeted in the Eastern European and BME communities. Messages to younger freedom a vaccine could offer and the potential financial loss resulting from not having a vaccination.

Pop-up vaccination clinics had been established at locations such as Hornchurch Library and Tesco at Gallows Corner. The Partnership’s website was regularly updated with questions & answers and videos relating to the vaccine. Work had been undertaken with groups such as the Polish Community Association and a vaccines video in Lithuanian was currently in production.

Numbers of Covid bases were rising in North East London but remained below the London average. Both vaccines were effective against the Delta variant. Good joint working had been seen in Havering between the Council and the voluntary sector.

All vaccination sites were quality checked and a physician was available to deal with any concerns. Clinicians at vaccination centres were aware of the Yellow Card system for reporting side effects as this was an established process in the NHS.

Vaccines were offered to all people aged 18 or over. Vaccines were however only offered to people younger than this for defined clinical reasons and there were no definitive targets for vaccinating people aged under 18. A list of the key priorities for the receipt of vaccines could be supplied. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation had felt that fewer vaccines of under 18s were necessary than seen in other countries. There was also good evidence that adult vaccine immunity was better than natural immunity.

Whilst no vaccine was 100% effective, rates of Covid immunity were increasing in line with vaccination rates. There were currently 25 Covid in-patients at BHRUT hospitals, compared with 170 when the infection rate was last at the current levels. Officers stated that this showed the impact of vaccines in giving a much lower hospitalisation rate. A high rate of vaccine coverage would also protect vulnerable people.

A Consultant Anaesthetist present stated that it was uncertain how long natural immunity would last and unvaccinated people who developed Covid-19 were likely to be extremely unwell. As many people as possible should therefore be encouraged to take the vaccine.

Officers added that it was important to increase vaccination rates in order to avoid other hospital work stopping due to Covid pressures. Vaccination could have avoided many of the more than 920 deaths from Covid that had been seen in Havering. Officers did not accept that reference to the death rate was being unnecessarily alarmist.

The Sub-Committee noted the update.