I was just looking at the Sky News page which shows the proportion of over 50s for each area to have been jabbed already, along with the proportion of under 50s.
Almost all areas apart from LOndon brought have done well over 90% of over 50s with most having done well over 95%. That’s amazing I think. Suggests hesitancy has fallen a lot.
Even more interesting is how high figures for under 50s already are. Pretty much all areas seem to have done over 20% with most around 30% and some as high as 40%. Given this is all under 50s and not just 40s it suggests very large proportions of 40s alre already done in lots of areas....which is what lots of people thought. Might mean this rollout to over 45s can be done quickly and the next group of 40-45 won’t be far behind....depending on supply of course.
Yesterday it was being discussed whether rollout had been pushed more with younger groups that had lower take-up. The figures do support that, apart from in London. Those areas which have already reached the high 30%S for under 50s jabs are often in areas with slightly lower take up and in areas more likely to be less affluent. It does look very much like it’s been more managed and less random than we might have thought.
I wonder if the rollout to 45+ is happening now because there is more supply (fact GPs told no new delivery for 2 weeks suggests not) or simply because they have to as the date for saying all 50+ jabbed already meant further rollout necessary, or just possible because actually the numbers of 45+ still to be done are smaller and more manageable than we might have thought.
It does look like these new 45+ appointments for first doses are all via the mass centres and not GP led hubs. Perhaps with less supply it makes sense to concentrate it in fewer locations and run large clinics rather than lots of tiny ones, especially as this is an age group who can certainly travel. There are still charities taking anyone who hasn’t got transport and can’t use public transport or taxi.
I’m particularly interested in how many jabs seem to have been available for today. Given people cannot book on the day itself, if MN and other sites hadn’t flagged the system was taking 45+ last night leading to lots of bookings, would these slots have been wasted? I guess the vaccine does last several days or longer, so perhaps it would have just been more given in coming days.
All very interesting anyway and so lovely to see so many people delighted and shocked to suddenly be booked....and some will already be done. There were people booking last night for 9am jabs! Hope they got a sticker.