Covid-19: Top scientist says 18% of adults still unvaccinated

Northern Ireland's chief scientific adviser has said he is concerned about the uptake of vaccination.

Prof Ian Young said about 18% of adults have still not come forward for their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

It comes as Health Minister Robin Swann said first doses of the vaccine will end at Northern Ireland's mass vaccination centres on 31 July.

Mr Swann said the vaccination programme would not be available indefinitely.

Vaccination centres are sited at the SSE Arena in Belfast, as well as the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Foyle Arena in Londonderry, Omagh Leisure Centre, Lakeland Forum, South Lake Craigavon and the Seven Towers in Ballymena.

A total of 2,175,663 Covid-19 vaccines had been administered in Northern Ireland as of Tuesday afternoon.

Of those, 1,187,005 were first doses and 988,658 were second doses.

Northern Ireland's rate is the lowest in the UK.

Referring to those who had not come forward for vaccines, Prof Young said: "That means 18% who are just as susceptible to the most severe effects of Covid as they were earlier in the epidemic."

He said he was also very concerned about the rise in cases and hospital admissions in Northern Ireland.

"Pressures on our hospitals have been very significant all through the summer for multiple reasons," he said.

"Certainly adding a significantly increased number of Covid admissions on top of that is going to bring considerable pressures to bear and I know our hospitals are thinking carefully about how they can best manage and cope with that as we go through the next six to eight weeks.

"Unfortunately I think that there will be some increases in deaths, which is inevitable as a result of a very large number of cases leading to quite a large number of hospitalisations and patients in critical care.

"But the number of deaths, the proportion of deaths from Covid, will be much less than in previous waves of the epidemic as a result of the impacts of vaccination and of improved treatments, which have gradually come into place during the last 18 months."

Another 1,138 positive cases were reported by the Department of Health on Tuesday. This includes samples taken in recent days, not necessarily in the last 24 hours.

The Department of Health is continuing to operate a number of walk-in Covid-19 vaccine clinics across Northern Ireland this week.

The appointment-free pop-ups were established as part of a "final push" to get younger people vaccinated.

Chief medical officer Sir Michael McBride said young people presenting for first doses in Northern Ireland is lower than other areas of the United Kingdom.

Speaking to the BBC's Nolan Show on Tuesday, he said: "Unfortunately, over the past number of weeks, the number of people presenting to get a first dose of the vaccine has slowed quite significantly, particularly in the younger age groups."

He added: "There is 6% more people in England, eight percent in Scotland and 10% more in Wales."

Sir Michael also discouraged young people from believing false vaccine rumours circulating on social media.

He estimated, based on current modelling, that by the end of this month Northern Ireland may exceed "over 2,000 Covid-19 cases a day" and "by the middle of August that could be anywhere between 3,000 - 4,000 cases".

He said if Northern Ireland could increase the number of people getting their first doses by 5% it could could reduce the number of new cases by half.

The chief medical officer said that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has provided interim advice on a booster vaccination programme in Northern Ireland.

He said it could be rolled out for over-50s and clinically vulnerable people from September.

Patricia Donnelly, the head of Northern Ireland's vaccination campaign, said "if you want to return to normality, do your part and come forward for vaccination".

"Overall we've been very pleased, until we've reached this younger age group. It's our under 30s who have given us that lower overall up-take level," she said.

The health minister, Mr Swann, said there was a "new surge in Covid cases" and now was the right time to get vaccinated.

"A new surge in Covid cases is under way and getting your jab will protect you and others. It will also help our health service cope, by pushing down infection numbers and hospital admissions."

He said that aspects of the programme will have to be stood down in the coming weeks.

"We will maintain some provision for people who belatedly change their minds and decide they want a jab after all. But it won't be as convenient or as widely accessible as it is currently.

"We will have to start standing down the mass vaccination centres in August, with first doses there ending on 31 July.

"This will allow us to redeploy much-needed staff back into the health service. Also, the SSE Arena and the leisure centres that we've been using can't be commandeered for vaccination use forever."

Mr Swann said that GPs' role in the vaccination programme had shifted from first and second doses to preparing for the vaccine booster dose.

"It is simply not possible to maintain a mass vaccination programme of this nature as a permanent feature of our health service. That is an unavoidable fact," the minister said.

On Monday, it was confirmed that some children and young people aged over 12 in Northern Ireland are to be offered a Covid vaccine.

Officials say those with specific underlying health conditions and who are at risk of serious illness from the virus can now receive the Pfizer/BioNtech jab.

Teenagers within three months of their 18th birthday can also get a jab.

At present health officials are not recommending routine universal vaccination of under-18s.

The list of eligibility currently includes those with severe neuro-disabilities, Down's Syndrome, underlying conditions resulting in immunosuppression, and those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, severe learning disabilities or who are on the learning disability register.

In England, face coverings are no longer required by law and nightclubs have been allowed to reopen.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson said Northern Ireland "should quickly be moving to that situation".

"We're not seeing the increase in deaths that was hanging over us when the discussions took the place - we're seeing impact vaccines has had in dealing with cases," he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

He said he did not think teenagers should be given the vaccine.

"When you look that risk that children have from Covid, it's very low," he added.