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London (AFP)
Visitors counted on the fingers of one hand, multiple cancellations … The anticovid vaccination center of a London university barely attracts students despite calls from the authorities to immunize themselves before returning to classes.
A small clinic was set up at the University of East London to vaccinate young people during the reception of new students.
At the center to get vaccinated, 28-year-old Jane-John Ngu Tazinya explains that she waited to get it because she was “always at home.” “I didn’t see the utility, I didn’t feel exposed,” she tells AFP.
“Now that I am always outside (…) I am a little afraid with the figures (of infections)”, and “I would like most of the students to be vaccinated,” he adds.
But the initiative has not been the expected success, as recognized by Sally Cutler, head of the university’s vaccination program: “We have received some students, but the numbers are not huge.”
“I think young adults are really the age group that least wants to be vaccinated,” he says.
“They see a lot of misinformation on social networks, obviously they have many concerns, they hear stories about the impact of the vaccine on fertility that are totally false,” he adds.
The vaccination program in the United Kingdom, one of the European countries hardest hit by the pandemic with 136,000 deaths, was a success with a rapid start and with currently 82% of those over 16 years vaccinated. But the reluctance is strongest among the young.
In England, only 66% of those aged 18-24 have received a first dose, and the proportion drops to 55% in London.
– Wait for more information –
Faced with this resistance, and with the circulation of the virus still elevated by the contagious delta variant and the end of the main restrictions in July, the government seeks to mobilize this population.
He garnered support from social media stars or more recently rugby players, such as England international Sam Underhill, and convinced companies to offer shopping vouchers in exchange for vaccine doses.
For Freshers’ Week, the week of welcoming new students to universities with big parties, the NHS public health service set up walk-in vaccination centers in dozens of universities.
The objective is to avoid a spike in infections with the entry of classes.
“Entering the university is one of the most important moments in the lives of millions of people each year and getting vaccinated could be among the most important things you can do,” Health Minister Sajid Javid insisted in a statement.
Despite their calls, Maame Donkor, 26, and Yaa Kissiedu, 27, students at the University of East London, prefer to wait.
“We’re still thinking about it, (but) we’ll end up doing it,” Maame explains. “When the time comes, we will go to the clinic, but for now we need more information,” says Yaa.
Many students like Maame and Yaa who do not want to be vaccinated feel safe on campus thanks to the precautionary measures taken, which include free “self-tests”.
“We order thousands more (test) kits,” says Sally Cutler.
After a year marked by health restrictions and distance classes, the students do not hide their joy of returning to campus.
“We did all the online learning last year, we needed the teachers and their faces and I know we needed them,” says Yaa.
© 2021 AFP
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