SOME of the most densely populated areas in Oxfordshire remain behind in the vaccination program despite a sharp rise of Indian variant infections across England.

NHS data has revealed major variation in areas with residents who have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 jab, and it shows that Oxford Central has the lowest coverage in the entire county.

While nearly a third of people in the city received two doses of a vaccine by May 16, figures show that less than a quarter of residents in Oxford Central have been vaccinated.

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Other areas with low vaccine coverage include East Central Oxford with 37.7 per cent and Headington with 42.1 per cent.

In contrast, areas with the highest percentage of vaccinations are Risinghurst and Sandhills, Barton and Wolvercote and Cutteslowe, which all average at around 80 per cent.

Within local authorities like Vale of White Horse and Cherwell, more than a third of residents have been given two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

In Vale, there is a difference of less than 15 per cent between the highest and lowest coverage areas.

These are Shrivenham, Watchfield and Uffington, with 75 per cent of people aged 16 and over given their first dose, and Abingdon Town and West with 61.6 per cent.

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However, this changes in Cherwell where there is more than a 30 per cent jump from the top and bottom of the reported figures.

NHS data reveals that while in Cropredy, Wroxton and Shennington, 86 per cent of residents aged 16 and over have received their first jab, only 55.5 per cent have in Banbury Grimsbury.

This is also the case in West Oxfordshire where more than two in five people have been given two doses of a Covid-19 jab.

The highest coverage area in the district is Burford and Brize Norton with 90.5 per cent of people aged 16 and over given their first dose.

However, this percentage quickly drops in Carterton South and Carterton North where just over half of people have received a jab.

Slightly higher numbers can be reported in South Oxfordshire – figures show that in Sonning Common and Kidmore End, 82.2 per cent of residents aged 16 and over were given their first dose.

In the areas with the lowest coverage – Didcot Ladygrove, Didcot South and Didcot West – the percentage is just above 60.

Across England, 17.1 million people had received a second dose of the jab by May 16 – 38 per cent of the population aged over 16 and over, which includes 15.1 million people aged 40 and over.

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