A third of adults unvaccinated in parts of London, data shows
Concerns have been raised about the persistently low vaccination rates in parts of London, with a third of adults unvaccinated in some neighbourhoods compared with other parts of England where rates are at almost 100%.
Seven out of 10 local authorities with the lowest first-dose rates were London boroughs, according to Guardian analysis of the latest NHS England figures to 1 August.
Westminster and Camden, which had the lowest rates in the country, reported that nearly a third of adults had not yet received their first jab. In Islington, just 73% of adults had been vaccinated, while in Hackney and City of London the rate was 74%. Nottingham (73%) was the only non-London area among the worst five councils.
Other local authorities, including Cambridge, South Oxfordshire and Hart, have vaccinated virtually every adult.
GraphicExperts said London’s figures could look worse than they were because of the capital’s highly mobile population, with many people moving home without deregistering from a GP.
The neighbourhoods with the lowest vaccination rates in London contained some of the poorest parts of the city. Stamford Hill South and Upper Clapton in Hackney, both among the 10 least-vaccinated places, are in the poorest fifth of areas nationally. Four in 10 adults in these areas remain unvaccinated, according to the latest figures.
The Guardian analysed data for small areas known as MSOAs, which contain 7,000 people on average. Population figures used in the analysis are based on Office for National Statistics (ONS) mid-year estimates.
Stamford Hill is home to the largest Haredi Jewish community in Europe, numbering approximately 30,000 people. A recent study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found strictly Orthodox Jewish communities faced a number of Covid-19 risk factors, including overcrowded housing and deprivation.
Chris Lovitt, the deputy director of public health for Hackney, said: “Hackney is a diverse, young borough and we know that there is a lower vaccination take-up amongst young people and other ethnic minority groups for complex reasons. We’ve been working closely with these groups and the local NHS throughout the coronavirus pandemic to increase vaccination uptake.”
In Tottenham Lea Valley, also among the poorest fifth of areas in England, just 65% of adults have received a first dose.
Prof Helen Bedford, a professor of children’s health at University College London, said: “London is a diverse, complex city, with high mobility and areas of great deprivation alongside areas of great wealth. For example, in Westminster almost 30% of children and young people under 20 are living in poverty [compared with 16% for the UK].
“Highly mobile populations may not be registered with GPs or receive invitations for vaccination and low-paid people may not be able to take time off work to be vaccinated, or have other difficulties accessing vaccination services. However, it must also be acknowledged that much good work is going on in areas of lower uptake.”
While deprived areas tend to have lower vaccination rates than wealthy areas, NHS vaccination data shows there are several affluent outliers in central London boroughs among the areas with the lowest rates in the capital.
In Regent’s Park, 52% of adults had received their first dose. The rate was 56% in Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Hyde Park, 59% in Marylebone and Park Lane and 65% in Hans Town. These areas are ranked by the ONS within the richest fifth of areas nationally, apart from Hans Town, which is in the richest 30%.
Cem Kemahli, a Kensington and Chelsea councillor and lead member for public health, said: “In central London an awful lot of our residents move around frequently and often have multiple homes, and live internationally between this country and their home country so it can be difficult to track them down.”
Hans Town, an exclusive area near Harrods department store and Sloane Square, has the highest proportion of underoccupied property in the borough, with almost one in four properties in the ward left vacant for most of the year, according to 2011 census data.
“Others have never used the NHS before because they have private doctors and they might not know how to engage with the NHS,” said Kemahli.
He said he expected that data showing a very low vaccine take-up in areas such as Hans Town was probably more likely to be a statistical anomaly than a cause of great concern. “My gut says a lot of our residents have a vaccine in their systems but it is not showing up on the NHS books,” he said.
He said the council had nonetheless drafted in extra vaccination resources to Hans Town, including parking its vaccination bus outside Harrods.
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You can add any extra information here Optional Share with the Guardian Terms and conditionsMSOAs with high student populations also recorded consistently low vaccination rates, with Hyde Park in Leeds (17%) reporting the lowest rate in England. In London, several MSOAs in Camden – which is home to a number of universities – were among the least vaccinated areas.
A spokesperson for Camden council said the borough had one of the youngest populations in London, with many residents only eligible for the vaccine since June.
He said: “In July alone, 33,000 vaccines were given out in Camden, with the total number of residents who have received a first dose increasing by 8%.”
A spokesperson for the NHS in London said: “NHS staff in London are working with community and faith groups to make it as convenient as possible to get first and second jabs – with pop-up and walk-in centres available across the capital.”