Volunteers take to the streets in Exeter to encourage young people to take up vaccine

  • Watch Richard Lawrence's report.

Health officials and volunteers have been encouraging students in Exeter to make sure they are fully vaccinated against Covid as winter approaches.

Funding was given to Devon and Cornwall to improve take-up rates after the number of cases reached record levels over the Summer.

Health officials are hoping to see more scenes like this over the coming weeks. Credit: ITV News

Teams have been knocking on doors in areas where students live and will be deployed outside some of the city's nighttime venues.

A pop-up vaccine site was opened outside central station as part of the initiative drawing a large queue of people.

The site will also open today, Thursday 7th October, with another in Illfracombe in North Devon at the weekend.

"It's really about now trying to understand how we best go out and make that vaccine offer best accessible to the public," explained Charlotte Pavitt from Devon County Council.

"We are speaking with people today to really understand what the barriers might be for the younger age group in coming forward and getting their vaccination."

Exeter's main vaccination site is several miles outside the city at the Greendale Business Park.

But the hope is that by making more city centre-based sites available more young people will be encouraged to get the jab.