AREAS and venues in Bolton popular with young people have been linked to a higher than average number of coronavirus cases.

This weekend Bolton’s vaccination bus will pull into Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park to encourage more 18-24-year-olds to have the jab.

A vaccination and testing drive, along with an awareness campaign will be staged at the popular retail park.

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Like many places in the UK, local rates are high among those aged 18 to 24.

“There are a number of reasons for this, not least because this cohort only recently became eligible for the first dose of the vaccine.

“As a result, areas and venues which are popular with this age group have been linked with a higher-than-average number of cases.

“However, we work closely with local hospitality businesses to ensure they have appropriate COVID measures in place and the sector has gone to great lengths to keep staff and customers safe.

“Working with our colleagues in Bolton CCG, we will be focusing on vaccinations and testing at Middlebrook over the weekend.

“COVID can affect people of any age and we urge everyone in Bolton to stick to the current guidelines and take up both doses of the vaccine as soon as possible.”

Dr Helen Wall, senior responsible officer for the vaccination programme in Bolton, said: “While infection rates might be high among this age group, the vaccination uptake so far in Bolton has been really encouraging. Almost half of 18-29 year olds have received their first of the vaccination already.

“I would encourage everyone who hasn’t yet had their vaccination to take up one of our walk-in offers over the next few weeks, or book an appointment in the usual way.

“One of our Vaccination Buses will be at the Middlebrook Retail Park this weekend as the location is an ideal place to capture people enjoying the cinema, shopping or eating out, and another bus will be at New Bury UCAN on Saturday.

“Then they will be at two more locations next week: the Melting Pot community hall and Moses Gate country Park, along with a number of other walk-in services across the borough.”

 

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