Ashton Gate Vaccine centre adds more slots as Delta cases surge
BDue to the higher numbers being vaccinated, parking will be very limited on site Appointment advice
RISTOL’S flagship coronavirus vaccination centre has expanded its operation as the Delta variant spreads.
Rising cases of the variant of concern, which was originally identified in India, has prompted the vaccination centre at Ashton Gate Stadium to increase capacity.
More slots are being made available but this means there will be more demand for parking spaces, so people are being advised not to drive there if they can avoid it.
According to Bristol City Council, as of Friday (June 11), there were 158 cases of the Delta variant in Bristol.
On Tuesday (June 15) the city’s director of public health said coronavirus cases in Bristol are “rocketing”, and had leapt up by 150 per cent in just one week.
People booked in for their vaccines at Ashton Gate have been receiving texts ahead of their appointment, marked as an “important message from the NHS”.
It reads: “In response to the new
variant, we have added additional vaccination capacity at Ashton Gate.
“Due to the higher numbers being vaccinated, parking will be very limited on site.”
It encourages people to use the free shuttle service from Long
Ashton Park and Ride, which runs directly to the vaccination centre between the hours of 8.30am and 5.30pm.
According to the latest government figures from Tuesday (June 15), 262,764 people in Bristol city have now received their first dose, while 177,326 have received both doses.
The proportion of people aged 18 and over who have received a COVID-19 vaccination is at 62.2 per cent for first doses, and 41.6 per cent for both doses.
This compares to a national percentage of 70.2 and 51.5 respectively.
Bristol’s figure is likely to be lower at least in part due to the number of younger people living in the city not yet (or only recently) eligible for the vaccine.
The median age of the population in 2019 was 32.4 years old, compared to an England median of 40.2 years.
Anyone aged 21 and older can now book their vaccine via the NHS website.