Reading Covid figures as people express 'vaccine hesitancy'

Hundreds of people on average are testing positive for coronavirus each day in Reading, with 186 cases recorded last Friday (March 18).

Over a seven day period 1,334 tested positive for covid-19, from last Friday to Friday, March 11.

It comes as there is growing awareness over reinfections where people have caught coronavirus twice or even a third time.

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Health professionals also have enduring concerns about the vaccination rate in the population, with Reading having a below average amount of the population being vaccinated.

Figures for Covid-19 cases, vaccination rates and hospitalisations were presented by health professionals at a meeting of Reading Borough Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board on Friday, March 18.

Although case numbers are high, hospitalisations due to coronavirus are relatively low.

A presentation by Professor Tracy Daszkiewicz, director of public health at Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) showed that, of the 78 people who are in hospital with coronavirus, 75 per cent have received two vaccine doses and 29 per cent have received a booster.

Her presentation also showed that vaccination rates in Reading are lagging behind national averages.

In Reading, 70 per cent of people aged 12 and over are double vaccinated, and 52 per cent of people have received a booster, compared to 85 per cent and 67 per cent in the UK as whole.

A slide showing vaccinations by age cohort in Reading. Credit: Reading Borough Council

Health professionals have raised concerns about the ‘vaccine hesitant’ – people who are unwilling to obtain a vaccine for a variety of reasons.

Healthwatch Reading, an independent health and social services consultant, held a poll in seven languages, in an attempt to understand those who are anti vaccination or vaccine hesitant.

The poll asked ‘what’s behind your personal choice not to get vaccinated?’, with 83 per cent of respondents mentioning concern about the side effects.

Although 160 people took the poll, 277 people commented on it on Facebook, bringing the total number of people who engaged with it to 437.

One person responding wrote: “two members of my family contracted stroke after that jab.”

Notably, 70 per cent of those responding to the poll said nothing would change their mind.

Catherine Williams, who presented the poll findings, said: “It is more important that we hear more from those groups have lower uptake.”

She also said:  “There was no one thing that jumped out” from the poll suggesting what could convince those who are vaccine hesitant to change their mind.

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31 per cent of poll respondents said that covid-19 was a mild illness, and 27 per cent believed they were covered by immunity by being infected by Covid-19 already.

In an effort to increase vaccine uptake, public health manager Amanda Nyeke announced that Reading Borough Council would be receiving £485,000 in funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

£75,000 of this will go into recruiting Community Champions to encourage people to get vaccinated.

How Reading Borough Council aims to use £485,000 in funding from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to promote vaccine uptake. Credit: Reading Borough Council

Members of the public can get vaccinated on demand at the walk-in centre in the Broad Street Mall.

Additionally, Katie Summers from the Berkshire West CCG announced that a walk-in vaccination centre will be set up for those aged 5-11 and the rest of the population at the South Reading Community Hub in Northumberland Road, but a date for when that will open has not been finalised yet.