Cabs for Jabs initiative to be launched

Published Friday, 25th February 2022

A free taxi service is to be launched in Hartlepool to make it easier for people to attend walk-in vaccination clinics and receive their Covid jabs.

Hartlepool Borough Council is funding the “Cabs for Jabs” initiative with money received from the Government’s COVID-19 Outbreak Management Fund (COMF).

Access to transport has been identified as a key barrier to vaccination for some people, and it is hoped the return taxi service will boost attendance at walk-in clinics organised by the Council in partnership with the NHS.

Open to all residents of the town, taxis will pick up people, wait for a maximum of 15 minutes while they get their vaccinations and then return them home.

It will begin operating on 1st March, and bookings can only be made by calling the Council on (01429) 523330.

The service will run throughout March, and at the end of this initial one-month period it will be reviewed to assess its impact.

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool Borough Council's Director of Public Health, said: “Despite the recent relaxation of Covid restrictions by the Government, the national vaccination/booster programme continues to be very important.

“In Hartlepool, we are keen to maximise vaccination uptake and we have been looking into the issues that can sometimes prevent people from attending our walk-in clinics.

“The number of people attending prior to Christmas was high, with over 1000 residents at each clinic, but since then figures have declined.

“We feel that this offer of free transport - together with our on-going strategy of rolling out walk-in clinics to different parts of the town - has the potential to really make a difference by making it far easier for people to get vaccinated.”