A Covid vaccination clinic targeting the Charedi community is being run in Hackney this week in a partnership between Shomrim, Hatzola and the local council and clinical commissioning group.

The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations is backing the two-day drive being held next to Liberty Hall, off Spring Hill, on August 18 and 19 from 5-9.30pm.

Medical professionals will be on hand to answer any questions about the vaccine and both first and second doses are being offered.

Rabbi Herschel Gluck, chairman of Shomrim, said: “As we approach Rosh-Ha'Shonoh it is an appropriate time to increase our zechusim-merits. By taking the vaccine, we protect oneself and others and facilitate that we should be able to serve Hashem in good health”.

Hatzola’s Devoiri Eisenzweig thanked Hackney Council for helping to "bring the vaccination clinic to the centre of the community, making the vaccine accessible to many more people. We hope this opportunity will be taken up by the community.”

Hackney’s cabinet member for health, adult social care and leisure, Chris Kennedy, said: “It’s important everybody gets the Covid-19 vaccine to keep themselves, their family and their community safe and I’d urge people to come along and ask their local doctors any questions they might have.”

Last week, Charedi leaders in Stamford Hill denied that the local community was responsible for the area having one of the capital’s lowest vaccination rates.

This followed new NHS figures suggesting that Stamford Hill South and Upper Clapton in Hackney were among the least vaccinated places in London, with four in ten adults unvaccinated.

For more information, go to hackney.gov.uk/coronavirus-vaccine