With the UK’s vaccination programme this week reaching the 16 million dose mark, bishops and church leaders in the Church of England have been speaking out amid warnings that misinformation and low uptake among some communities poses a risk to the programme’s effectiveness in protecting the whole population.
As part of the NHS-backed #GiveHope campaign, launched last week, bishops and church leaders have joined together in sharing video messages encouraging communities to seek accurate information on vaccines, hold local conversations, and to encourage one another to take up offers of vaccines.
While uptake of the vaccine so far has met Government targets, significant numbers indicating mistrust, including in some UKME communities, mean that some people in younger age-groups may be less likely to take up the vaccine than the groups targeted to date.
The UK's vaccination programme is nearing 16 million doses.
Our church leaders have joined together to encourage you to take the vaccine when it's offered.
Find out more at https://t.co/WISUgdUfq2.#GiveHope pic.twitter.com/Mt4HFIBo6H
— The Church of England (@churchofengland) February 18, 2021