Only about a fifth of Waltham Forest has received a “booster jab” to protect them against Covid, according to government figures from last week.

East London has the worst vaccine uptake in the entire country, despite concerns about the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

In Waltham Forest, only 53,260 had received a third dose of the vaccine on 9th December, totalling just under a fifth of the borough’s population, compared to a UK average of just over 40%.

However, more than half of the borough has now received their second dose.

Highams Park East has the highest number of residents to have received all three doses, with more 3,000 having had their third jab. 

Rates of the booster vaccine are far lower in Leyton and Leytonstone areas.

Omicron now makes up at least 44 per cent in London, where the variant is expected to soon account for the majority of cases.