SCHOOLS in under-jabbed areas of Southend could be used as vaccine centres to boost uptake.

Several parts of the seaside town are falling behind with fewer people vaccinated. 

Krishna Ramkhelawon, director of public health for Southend, revealed he’s held discussions with schools in Victoria, Milton, Westborough, and the Kursaal wards of the town.

He said: “We could offer jabs after hours, over the weekends.

“We’ve got a team of jabbers who can work from 8am to 8pm.

“We want to look at using them in the evenings too.

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“Given the challenges we faced, and because some people can’t be bothered to book a slot or the system has crashed, we’re going to push for more of a walk-in approach.

“We’re being told there isn’t any concerns around supply for Pfizer or Astra-Zeneca, which is positive.

“We are most definitely going to use children centres, but we just need to decide on what days to use them.

“Or use them in the evenings or the mornings.

“We could use some of the school facilities, we had a meeting with the headteachers. 

“If somebody has offered us a school where we don’t need it, we won’t take it. It has to be where we need a boost.”

Public health officials are also now considering installing pop-up vaccine hubs in Southend town centre from the Autumn, in time with the roll-out of the vaccine booster programme.

As of Sunday, the infection rate in Southend sat at 374 per 100,000, down from 403 per 100,000 on Friday.

Jerry Glazier, secretary for the Essex branch of the National Education Union, backed the move. 

He added: “As long as logistics are agreed, and caretakers are paid extra, I see nothing wrong with using the schools for this.

“They should be utilised for everyone’s benefit.

“I think it’s too far away to predict where transmission rates may be when schools return.

“I just hope that schools can return and children can be taught effectively.”