Northumberland GP believes Covid booster campaign is paying dividends

The government’s drive to see all UK adults offered a Covid-19 booster jab by the end of the year should be taken seriously, but not “literally” according to a Northumberland GP.
A Covid vaccine queue in Amble.A Covid vaccine queue in Amble.
A Covid vaccine queue in Amble.

Boris Johnson has announced a massive acceleration of the vaccination programme in response to rising cases of the Omicron variant.

And while the ambition has been criticised by some North East doctors, who branded it “unbelievable”, others hope it will convey the gravity of the crisis to the public.

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“I don’t believe that the government or Boris are naive enough to think that their declaration is an achievable objective,” said Dr Ben Burville, of the Amble-based Coquet Medical Group.

Amble GP Dr Ben Burville with Love Island contestant Brad McClelland.Amble GP Dr Ben Burville with Love Island contestant Brad McClelland.
Amble GP Dr Ben Burville with Love Island contestant Brad McClelland.

“Nor for a second do I think they believe all over-18s will be boosted by the end of the month.

“But I don’t think that was the aim, I think the aim was to galvanise the booster campaign and I think the announcement added a degree of seriousness to the campaign and in that way it has achieved its aim.

“I think we’re now going into the New Year a lot better than we would have been otherwise.”

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Bookings for booster jabs has been open to all over-18s since Wednesday, December 15, although some North East clinicians have already predicted insufficient vaccine supplies mean they will struggle to keep pace with demand.

At the same time, requests for lateral flow tests has surged, with the government’s ordering website frequently running out, although health chiefs have predicted this will be resolved “quite quickly”.

Northumberland has consistently had one of the highest rates in the UK and the highest in England for vaccine take up.

And Dr Burville predicts this experience will stand the region in good stead compared to other areas – even if it does also miss the Prime Minister’s target.

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He added: “Anyone living in Northumberland or the North East should be very reassured.

“The hospitals and GPs here are generally very good and 99 per cent of the healthcare system will ensure that if you’re genuinely sick then someone will see you face-to-face.

“In the meantime, just be patient, the staff have worked tirelessly and are doing their best under really difficult circumstances to look after people with really serious symptoms, while also delivering the biggest vaccine campaign the NHS has ever done.”