Health bosses in Harrow say there is “more to do” on the borough’s Covid-19 vaccine programme after figures showed low uptake among Black people and those in deprived areas.

Carole Furlong, director of public health at Harrow Council, told a health and wellbeing scrutiny committee on Tuesday (June 22) that almost 148,000 people in Harrow – more than half of those eligible – have had their first dose, while 107,000 have completed the course.

However, she pointed out only 51 per cent of Black people have taken part in the programme, compared to an uptake between 70 per cent and 85 per cent among White British, Irish, Indian, and other Asian groups.

Furthermore, just 37 per cent of those living in the more deprived areas of Harrow have been vaccinated – this is a stark contrast to the more affluent parts, where 80 per cent of people have had the jab.

“You’re more likely to get Covid in a deprived area, and you’re less likely to get tested, and less likely to get vaccinated,” she said.

“We do need to focus on those areas of deprivation, and we also need to focus on some of the communities.”

Lisa Henschen, assistant managing director for primary and community care at NHS Harrow, said there is also “some way to go” in vaccinating 40 to 50-year-olds in the borough.

“Our uptake rates in Harrow remain strong, but we continue to focus our efforts to make sure we can get maximum coverage for our population,” she said.

“We cannot forget sections of our community who are more hesitant to come forward.”

She added the vaccine offer remains “evergreen” and those who were eligible at an earlier date but are yet to get involved are still able to do so.

Figures from NHS England last week showed Harrow was among the best performing areas in London in terms of vaccine uptake.

The approach in the borough was recently updated, with vaccines now being delivered from a mass centre at Byron Hall, in Christchurch Avenue.

This is complemented by pop-up clinics – earlier this month more than 2,000 people were vaccinated at sites in Roxbourne and Belmont – and pharmacies in Rayners Lane.

Ms Henschen explained there are ambitions to secure more pharmacy provision in other parts of the borough as well as exploring the scope for more pop-up events.