Ansaf Azhar, Director of Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The Delta variant is being shown to be considerably more transmissible than the previously dominant Alpha variant, and this is clear in Oxfordshire where we have seen an almost fifty per cent increase in new cases over the past week alone.
“It seems that this variant appears to have hit the younger age groups in Oxfordshire hardest, and unfortunately, it is this age group which is also the least likely to have received their vaccines yet.
“Therefore, we are encouraging everybody over the age of 18 to book their jab as soon as they receive the text message alert. They may be invited to their GP practice or they can book an appointment through the national NHS booking service.”
Ansaf continued: “If you struggle to book your vaccination locally the first time, please keep trying. New slots will be released as soon as vaccine deliveries are confirmed.
“In the meantime, everybody should continue with twice-weekly lateral flow testing, stick to hands, face, space, ventilate where they can, and remember that socialising outdoors is far safer than indoors.
“It’s also important not to forget that you must have two doses of the vaccine to receive the full protection and that the first dose does not start offering notable protection until two weeks after the jab has been administered.”