Covid jabs given to more than 100 of Leicester's homeless
A mobile van and hostel visits helped local GPs pass the milestone
More than 100 of Leicester's rough sleepers have now received their first Covid-19 jab.
A mobile van pitched in a city centre car park played it's part while medics also made visits to hostels like Dawn Centre and Mayfield hostels.
Homeless people who are currently living in temporary accommodation in local hotels have also had the vaccination.
Wayne Henderson, director and nurse at Inclusion Health Care said: “We recognise that this might be a contentious issue but Covid can affect anyone and it’s impact has been and is still being felt by everyone.
“Until we are all rid of Covid it will remain an issue for everyone. The priority is to get all the most vulnerable vaccinated first and some of the people on our patient lists come into that category.”
Wayne added: “Originally the homeless community was not included in the priority groups identified by the Government but as time has gone on and due to some campaigning at a national level we are able to offer vaccinations to people who are homeless or sleeping rough.
“In the same way care homes are vulnerable, hostels and temporary accommodation are. If there was an outbreak in one of those settings it would be very hard to manage because you have lots of people living in close proximity so it could very quickly spread.
“The majority of people have been happy to be offered and have the vaccine, it’s similar to the weir general picture, there are some people who don’t want it but most people we have offered it have had it.”
Last weekend the team were in the car park of Charles Berry House where they gave more than 70 patients the vaccine.