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The three Kent neighbourhoods where 40% have still not had one dose of Covid vaccine

In several parts of Kent, more than 80% of people aged 12 and over have now had at least one dose of the Covid vaccine.

But there are three neighbourhoods in the county where four in 10 have still not had a jab.

The university neighbourhood in Canterbury, Luton in Chatham and Gravesend Town have the lowest vaccine uptakes in Kent
The university neighbourhood in Canterbury, Luton in Chatham and Gravesend Town have the lowest vaccine uptakes in Kent

The government's interactive vaccination map shows that Blean Forest, Chartham Hatch & University, in Canterbury, Luton in Chatham and Gravesend Town have had the lowest uptake in Kent.

In the Canterbury neighbourhood, where many students are based, 59.1% of those aged 12 and over have had a first dose.

Just over 50% are fully vaccinated - whereas in neighbouring Seasalter this figure is as high as 81.4%.

Meanwhile in Luton in Chatham, 59.3% have had a first dose and and 51% have had two jabs.

In Gravesend Town, 59.9% have had one jab, and 53.3% have had two.

The lightest shaded areas on the government's interactive map have had the lowest vaccine uptake - while the darkest shaded areas have the highest
The lightest shaded areas on the government's interactive map have had the lowest vaccine uptake - while the darkest shaded areas have the highest

The average across most of Kent is much higher, with more than 80% of people having had at least one dose in Ashford, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Thanet, Tonbridge and Malling and Tunbridge Wells.

In the county's other districts, the average is below 80% but above 70%.

Those areas with younger populations are likely to have had fewer people vaccinated - and higher case rates.

In Kent, just 19.9% of children in the 12-15 age group have had a jab. Meanwhile, the infection rate in the 10-14 age group is by the highest, at 1,681 per 100,000 children.

It comes as the number of people with Covid in Kent's hospitals is at its highest level for seven months.

Data released by the NHS shows there are 162 patients in the county with the virus - more than double the 75 recorded just two weeks ago.

At the same time, Kent's infection rate has hit a nine-month high, with case numbers now matching those last seen in January.

It is not known how many of Kent's patients with Covid are in hospital because of the virus, and not because of other illnesses or conditions.

But figures for the south east last month revealed 74% of Covid patients across the region were being "primarily treated" because of the virus.

While patient numbers and Covid rates are climbing, the number of people dying with the virus in Kent has fallen.

In September, 71 people lost their lives within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.

This month - up to October 27 - 33 deaths have been recorded.

Read more: All the latest Covid news

Read more: All the latest news from Kent

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