Covid: Oakley and Kempshott have highest vaccine take-up

Data released by NHS England reveals that the areas of Oakley and Kempshott have the highest number of adults to have taken a least one dose of a Covid vaccine - with almost three quarters of the population there having had at least one dose of a Covid jab.

Meanwhile, Kings Furlong and the Basingstoke Central, Black Dam and Eastrop areas have the lowest take-up of vaccines, with less than one in two adults having had their first dose so far.

You can see the full table, and search for your area, below.

The vaccination programme has seen almost 30 million people receive a first dose so far in England, with 67 per cent of the population of Basingstoke also having done so.

Currently, people aged 38 and over are eligible to book an appointment.

And data released on Thursday for the period up to May 9 by NHS England breaks down take-up to local areas, allowing for a comparison between individual communities and their take-up of the vaccine.

It is broken down by middle-layer super output area (MSOA), which are small areas based on population rather than geographical size.

The data reveals that Kempshott has the highest number of adults having had one dose of the vaccine (73.7 per cent), and the second highest number of people having had second doses (41.3 per cent).

Meanwhile, East Oakley, which covers the villages of Oakley, Deane and Wooton St Lawrence, has 73.1 per cent of its population receive their first dose and the highest number (42.8 per cent) of adults having second doses.

Old Basing and the Candovers, which covers the villages to the south of Basingstoke between Old Basing and Brown Candover, had the third highest number of residents having their first (73.1 per cent) and second doses (36.8 per cent).

Meanwhile, less than half of adults in the two areas of Kings Furlong, and Basingstoke Central, Black Dam and Eastrop (48.9 per cent each), have had their first dose.

Across Basingstoke and Deane as a whole, 67.3 per cent of adults have had their first jab, with 31.4 per cent having had their second dose.

Speaking to The Gazette, newly-elected ward councillor for Kings Furlong, Arun Mummalaneni, said that whilst he didn't know the full reasons behind the lack of uptake, he thought this could be because the demographic of Kings Furlong is younger than the likes of Kempshott.

"The people in this area might be younger and not been offered it yet," he said.

Cllr Arun Mummalaneni was given his Covid vaccine at Basingstoke Fire Station, where he volunteers.

"There are some nationwide reports that the BAME population is less [likely to have the vaccine]," Cllr Mummalaneni acknowledged, "but in Basingstoke we are actively encouraging people to come forward and I am encouraging people to take up the vaccine."

Cllr Mummalaneni has been volunteering as a steward at the vaccination centre at Basingstoke Fire Station and encouraged people to get the jab when it is offered to them.

The full list of areas in Basingstoke and Deane and their vaccine take-up:

(Click on the column headers to sort by first and second doses).