Initiative launched to encourage Bangladeshi and other communities in Northampton to get Covid booster jabs

A community group is campaigning to encourage as many people as possible, specifically in the Bangladeshi community, to get their jabs this winter.

Centre for Policy, Promotion and Prevention (CPPP) - a community interest company (CIC) - is launching a new initiative to encourage Bangladeshi and other Diaspora communities to take the Covid booster jab and flu jab.

The programme will be running from next week for three months into 2022.

The CIC will be working in association with the ‘Community Champion’ programme of Support Northamptonshire, Wellingborough and Public Health Northamptonshire.

Councillor Imran Chowdhury, founder of CPPP, said: “With the rise of new mutant variants and the exponential rise of infection, all members of society must take booster jabs and flu immunisation.

“The winter is coming, and with winter, the vulnerability of falling flu victims happens every year. With the flu, the covid viruses can make many more people unwell, which might lead to a huge number of deaths and overwhelm the NHS.

“We must not add any more pressure on the NHS.

“The only way to keep the NHS safe is to take proper precautions to have less hospitalisation.

“Therefore, I would urge all members of society to take the booster jab and flu immunisation this winter.”

The programme will include door to door leaflets, PPE supply, group meetings, one to one consultations, pop up vaccination centres, arranging pharmacy visits, and workplace visits like meeting the community in the Bangladeshi owned restaurants in the area.

To make sure people understand the leaflets and open letters for the community are written in both English and Bengali.

Cllr Chowdhury added: “From the backdrop of the last lockdowns and spread of the disease last year, it was evident that the BAME community in the UK paid a very heavy price.

“The BAME community suffered because they live in multi-generational homes, underlying health issues and lack of vaccination uptake made these communities highly susceptible to this pandemic.

“Therefore, it is extremely important that in addition to the first and second vaccine, the community members ought to take the booster jab and the flu jab to remain safer during the coming winter months and any future rise of infections.”

Everyone over 40 is now eligible for a booster if their second dose was at least six months ago. Read more about where to get booster jabs here.