Matt Hancock names Bristol one of the best areas in UK for Covid-19 vaccine rollout
Bristol and its surrounding areas have been named as one of the best performing parts of the country for rolling out the Covid-19 vaccinations, according to Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
The "fantastic efforts" of the vaccination teams were praised in a letter to a North Somerset MP Liam Fox on Monday 25 January.
More than 80% of care home residents in the area covered by the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire NHS clinical commissioning group (CCG) had received the vaccine, making it one of the “highest performing” parts of the country.
In the letter, Matt Hancock said the success in Bristol and its surrounding areas was down to the “tireless” efforts of everyone involved in rolling out the vaccine.
He praised the “incredible” community spirit that has contributed to the success.
The news was shared at a meeting of city health leaders on Wednesday 27 January where the vaccine roll out was discussed.
The public are asked to wait for a letter inviting them to vaccination, and not to contact the NHS requesting the Covid-19 jab.
People are being invited to have the vaccine in order of clinical priority.
Dr Alison Bolam, a GP in Horfield, said doctors, nurses and social care workers had been “trotting around” Bristol with backpacks vaccinating people who are housebound, and the very elderly, in their homes.
Dr Bolam said that care staff were having the vaccine “almost without exception”, despite a survey before Christmas revealing that fewer than 60% were willing to get it.
Credit: Amanda Cameron, Local Democracy Reporting Service.
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