In his regular column, Frome MP David Warburton writes:

Almost exactly a year ago, we all watched the exhilarating moment that 90 year-old Margaret Keenan received the very first Covid-19 jab as part of the mass-vaccination programme across the UK. As the first country in the world to begin its vaccination programme, few will forget the universal sense of relief and hope for the future the vaccine promised for us all.

Twelve months later, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that our booster programme is not moving quite at the same pace as our vaccination programme up until now. Vaccinations remain our primary defence against Covid and, in light of the new Omicron variant, all the more important - as studies begin to suggest that three doses provide a similar level of antibodies against Omicron to that of two doses against other variants.

Certainly, a monumental amount of work has been done by local NHS services and providers to get jabs in as many arms as possible and I very sincerely thank staff, the NHS itself and our volunteers for their Herculean efforts. But there remain issues in our own part of Somerset – and indeed across the country - in getting those booster jabs to those who need them most.

Many in rural areas, and particularly those who are housebound, have struggled to access the booster jabs they need so badly. Their frustration (and the anxiety of their loved ones who want them properly protected) has been all too clear to me as they reach out for help. Put simply, our vaccination centres, when compared to the initial rollout of the vaccine, are too few and far between.

There are over 2,500 vaccination locations across England including pharmacies, GPs, vaccine centres and hospital hubs. But only a small proportion of these centres are in rural areas. There are 431 locations to get the top-up jab in London and only 242 in the entire South West – an area with a population the size of Scotland.

This, and the low number of home vaccination visits, has meant that two-thirds of housebound people remain un-boosted and under-protected. These people are perhaps the most vulnerable, most susceptible and therefore most in need of the additional defence offered by the booster.

More GPs and local pharmacies are needed in the effort to deliver as many boosters as possible to those who are housebound, so at Prime Minister's Questions, on Wednesday 8th December, I asked the Prime Minister exactly what the Government is doing to improve rural access to the booster for those in need, and I'm continuing the discussion with Ministers from the Department for Health and Social Care next week to ensure my constituents are not disadvantaged.

advertisement

Somerset has enjoyed a tremendous vaccine programme until now, so I'll certainly continue to press this vital issue and get us back on track. We must now work together towards a rapid solution and rekindle that glow of optimism we felt a year ago as we watched Margaret Keenan and the country lead the world and make history.