Sadiq Khan wants to limit indoor mixing but why is he not addressing the low vaccine rates in London instead?

[Jobconfused]

In some areas of London the vaccine update is so low (think less than 60% of first dose and less than 20% booster), and significantly below the national average. Why is Kahn not addressing this and asking for further restrictions instead? He had the whole of 2021 to work on increasing the uptake amongst the London communities and now he is declaring a state of emergency. I don’t get it. What am I missing

@containsnuts

Most of the people not vaccinated by now don't want to be and they won't change their mind. I think we've hit a ceiling re uptake so focus is more on boosting those who want it rather than nagging those who don't.

France was one of the most vaccine refusing countries in the world. Has been for years. Vaccine bookings shot up after vaccine passes were introduced there. But that's something that, done effectively, only the national government has the power to bring in.

You can't make people have it !
That would be wrong and I've had the jabs etc
They are entrenched with their views.

I read a few days ago him saying he was focusing on groups of Londoners that are refusing the vaccinations. He can’t force them.

Thank you all, I obviously have missed something or read the wrong news outlet!

black people, Asian people and Jews

It's important to point out that the majority (more than 50%) of people from all three very broad groups you mention have had it.

For example, the vast majority of Jewish people have had it. Those who haven't are the very small ultra Orthodox community. Israel had the same issues, I believe. I'm not sure if or how they resolved it. But this small group (in the UK) won't have made a huge difference to London's current situation. 9 million people in London. Only 300,000 Jewish (mostly non orthodox) people in the whole of the UK.

Again, black people. Not one homogeneous group. The majority (over 50%) have had the jabs.

Likewise Asian people. In fact some Asian groups have higher take-up rates than white British.

Interesting to note who is responsible for the anti vaxx misinformation... They pinned down the source of much of it to a handful of far right individuals.

@TaraSiligel

Short of identifying the unvaccinated and shooting them with vaccines from tranquiliser dart guns, what else can you do? I have met a few antivaxxers. They're idiots. You just can't reason with them.

Yep. Lost cause for some. I fear I have lost a dear friend who I have to distance from because she believes its all a conspiracy. Can't avoid the subject, she brings it up every other sentence and it's grated on me so much I've decided to back off.

I am sure he is doing what he can to increase take up

Yes, but what and how come you are so sure?

The London vaccine rates are not as low as you suggest. (Over 50% of over 50's have booster) and over 82% first dose, if you're going to complain, at least look up the data first.

The vaccine is also pretty poor at preventing omicron infection, which is why despite those high rates, omicron is still spreading fast.

@sirfredfredgeorge

The London vaccine rates are not as low as you suggest. (Over 50% of over 50's have booster) and over 82% first dose, if you're going to complain, at least look up the data first.

The vaccine is also pretty poor at preventing omicron infection, which is why despite those high rates, omicron is still spreading fast.

I have looked at the data obviously.

In my area, where it was low in particular communities, the NHS worked with community leaders to increase uptake - we have over 80% uptake now

Genuinely very pleased this made a difference in your area
In my east midlands city they tried using HCPs who matched the demographic of each area to go door to door, and local councillors went berserk - apparently even trying to approach the community was racist. The HCPs were vilified too, and told they were bringing shame on their communities, so sadly the initiative was dropped

London will always have issues, its densely packed and the main form of getting about is the tube which is often also pretty packed, you couldn't social distance on them even if you wanted too.

I have looked at the data obviously

So why are you quoting completely inaccurate statistics? (possibly ones just based on NIMS which we know to be completely inaccurate for London, but certainly nothing like reality)

data.london.gov.uk/dataset/coronavirus--covid-19--cases

I've kind of got to the stage of thinking 'fuck 'em' about the unvaccinated. Let them just take their chances against covid if they think it's safer than the vaccine.

[quote sirfredfredgeorge]I have looked at the data obviously

So why are you quoting completely inaccurate statistics? (possibly ones just based on NIMS which we know to be completely inaccurate for London, but certainly nothing like reality)

data.london.gov.uk/dataset/coronavirus--covid-19--cases[/quote]
I think OP is using figures from the Guardian who count percentage of people vaccinated from the total population, not percentage vaccinated from those eligible in this country.

It's not a state of emergency is it? I thought it was a Major Incident which is a bit different and mainly allows for more centralised and coordinated decision-making?

Here are today's figures for Covid in the centre of Brixton. Vaccination rates are definitely low, and the cases are the highest in the country at the moment.

But it's also a comparatively young population - like a lot of London - so the low vaccine take-up isn't just about the racial mix.

Also, Sadiq is just generally useless. He can't even tell you what a woman is, so I don't expect him to be any help here either.

In my east midlands city they tried using HCPs who matched the demographic of each area to go door to door, and local councillors went berserk - apparently even trying to approach the community was racist. The HCPs were vilified too, and told they were bringing shame on their communities, so sadly the initiative was dropped

What a shame. Engaging in face to face conversations with the vaccine hesitant was found to be really effective in Australia.

Well it would take some time for people to get from 0 to 3 vaccines so I suppose he’s proposing something that he thinks will make a difference now.

Also, Sadiq is just generally useless. He can't even tell you what a woman is, so I don't expect him to be any help here either.

This made me snort

I live in London and a lot of my friends have ordered have just had covid so aren't allowed their booster yet. Not everyone who is unboostered in London is anti-vax!

Drove past the vaccination centre in Oval today, and there was a massive queue stretching all the way back to the tube station.

You have to remember that

@CurtainTroubles well my SIL is one of the vaccine refusers supposedly but she has been triple jabbed in Israel...she lives in Israel but is registered to a GP in london. I have viewed 2 flats recently, both owned by people who have moved to Israel but kept their flats in London (probably pensioners as they are more expensive 3 bed flats), and like my SIL, they probably didn't deregister from GP.

In fact the pandemic has actually encouraged many Jews to rethink their lifestyle and decamp to Israel.Aliyah has increased. Its a similar phenomenon as people moving to the countryside.

I would be interesting in the stats that Jews are vaccinated in lower numbers as I was vaccinated at the Jewish Vegetarian Society last week in a pretty religious area and there were many many Jews...I hardly know anyone who isn't vaccinated!