'We have faith in young over Covid vaccine take-up' - says York GP

Dr Daniel Kimberling spoke out in a weekly column in The Press following concerns that about a third of 18 to 25-year-olds nationwide have not yet received her their first jab.

The government has criticised take-up among young people and announced that proof of full vaccination will be needed to gain entry to nightclubs by the end of September.

Dr Kimberling said that in York, 67 per cent of 18-29-year-olds had been given their first dose, and staff and volunteers were seeing young people at both the centre at Askham Bar and pop-up clinics across the city.

“They are as grateful when we see them as our octogenarian patients were eight months ago,” he said.

“We have a courageous younger generation and we need them to keep stepping forward to help us fight Covid.”

He said many young people were busy working and studying, and had hectic schedules, and so more weekend pop-ups were being planned in the city centre, on August 7 and 14 at Jorvik Gillygate Practice in The Stonebow.

Dr Kimberling, medical director of Nimbuscare, which organises the vaccination centre, said staff were finding that some people wanted them to explain more about the vaccine, which was understandable.

“We’re here to help and always have clinicians on hand to discuss this further,” he said.

“We often get questions around the risks of Covid against the risk of the vaccines and the long term affects.

“They want to understand the benefits of them joining the majority of adults who have now been vaccinated."

He said he knew it took courage to come for a first jab when people were not used to injections. “As clinicians, we completely get this and are experienced in reassuring people,” he said.

He added that it took more courage to come back for a second dose if people had had a day or two feeling a bit unwell after their first dose, as their immune system gets its ‘invitation to fight’ the virus.