Betty the Bus drives Covid vaccine take-up

One of the biggest challenges Telford & Wrekin Council faced during the pandemic was boosting vaccinations in areas where there had been low take up of the vaccine.

Data and insight gathered with partners revealed vaccinations were lowest in the borough’s most disadvantaged communities, which included some of its most vulnerable residents.

The solution? Take the vaccine to local neighbourhoods via Betty the Vaccination Bus.

The initiative epitomises the council’s co-operative values – working in partnership around a shared sense of responsibility at a time of urgent need and embracing innovation by collaborating with local communities to drive positive change.

Working with a range of partners, including the CCG, GPs, voluntary and community organisations and the Army, Betty delivered the Covid vaccine to local people across the borough, mobilising rapidly in response to the fast-spreading Omicron variant.  This highly targeted operation saw locations chosen based on data identifying the lowest Covid vaccine uptake at a hyper-local Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) level.  It has reduced the number of unvaccinated people in the most disadvantaged areas and among ethnic groups where uptake was the lowest.