A London council has defended a COVID vaccine festival that cost over £200,000 to put on but only saw 435 people jabbed.
Tower Hamlets Council held the four-day Summer Festival at Langdon Park in order to encourage young people to get the COVID jab.
The festival ended up costing £237,000 but by the end it had only managed to administer the vaccine to 435 people.
A spokesperson for the council argued that it was important to find ‘new and innovative ways’ to increase the uptake of the vaccine.
‘The vaccine event at Langdon Park, funded by Covid-19 grants from central government, was set up to help vaccinate young residents, where data was showing a low uptake in this group,’ they said.
‘Councils across the country have been actively encouraged to use funding to deliver vaccines in new and innovative ways, which is important in efforts to address vaccine hesitancy and low uptake in particular groups.
‘Every vaccine in the arm of a resident helps prevent severe illness from Covid-19, build immunity and keep people safe. We continue to work to increase vaccination rates through novel approaches including our mobile vaccination bus, events, and clinics in community spaces.’
The spokesperson added: ‘Learning is taken from all our work to deliver vaccines, to ensure clinics and events are as effective as possible and deliver value for money.’
