Councils were key to vaccine rollout, says LGA

One year on from the first COVID-19 dose being administered in the UK, the Local Government Association (LGA) is thanking councils for their role in the successful vaccine rollout.

90-year old Margaret Keenan received the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on December 8th 2020, and since then over 118 million doses, including booster shots, have been administered in the UK. The rollout has been supported by local authorities working alongside the NHS in keeping residents informed and supporting them attend appointments.

Councils have also worked to help transform many local venues into vaccination centres, with sports venues, places of worship and in one instance a former nightclub all having been converted into vaccination clinics.

Recent efforts have seen more pop-up clinics at libraries, football stadiums, shopping centres and even mobile bus clinics, ensuring vaccinations are accessible to all members of the community.

Councils have also continued to draw on local community leaders and community groups to support uptake of the vaccine amongst asylum seekers, refugees and ethnic minority groups to dispel myths and offer clear information in a non-pressurised environment.

Cllr James Jamieson, LGA Chairman, said: 

“The vaccine roll-out programme has been a huge success so far and local authorities have been integral to the roll-out of the programme from the beginning, working closely with the NHS.

“Using their local knowledge, they have been able to offer more personalised support to encourage residents to get vaccinated. The success of the programme has enabled society to return to a level of normality which has had significant benefits for the health and wellbeing of all residents, while supporting the recovery of our economy.

“Vaccination is ultimately our route out of this pandemic and we encourage everyone to get their COVID-19 vaccine whether it be your first, second or booster dose. Although there is still work to be done to overcome issues such as vaccine hesitancy, communities can be assured that councils will continue working hard to ensure residents are supported to get the vaccine.”

Picture: A pop-up Covid-19 vaccination clinic, facilitated by Stockport Council and local NHS services, outside the Merseyway Shopping Centre earlier this year.