THOUSANDS TO GET COVID JAB AT FOUR NEW VACCINATION CENTRES
SITES TAKING DELIVERY OF OXFORD VACCINE TODAY
THOUSANDS of patients are now being vaccinated against coronavirus at four new centres in North East Lincolnshire.
The centres will be taking delivery of the new Oxford vaccine today and will be rapidly rolled out in the coming days. It comes as Public Health have confirmed plans are being looked into to open a mass vaccination centre in the borough as Boris Johnson has promised to increase the vaccination roll out to 200,000 per day across the country.
The new centres for North East Lincolnshire are at Open Door and Quayside Medical Practice on Albion Street, Grimsby, Beacon Medical Practice in Cleethorpes, Scartho Medical Practice and Roxton Medical Practice in Immingham.
The first patients to receive the vaccine at the new centres are those of highest risk, those aged over 80 and hospital and care staff.
Practice manager at Open Door and Quayside medical Practice, Kirsty Newson said: “The first batch came through and were given out on December 21 and we vaccinated nearly 1,000 patients within two days. We are now getting the next group of patients in and giving the vaccination to around 400 each day. “We were able to mobilise and have everything ready quickly and will be working from 8am to 5pm . We have kept the clinics going to 8pm on some days to get as many in as possible.”
She added: “Everyone has worked extremely hard and given long hours and we are all doing it for the community.
“This means we are one step to getting back to normal.”
She stressed patients need to wait until they are contacted by their GP practice with an allotted time for their vaccination and not to contact their GP to ask for a booking.
Lisa Revell, executive director of operations and nurse for the Care Plus Group said: “It is a testament to the dedication of our staff that the vaccinations has gone well.
“It has been a large scale operation achieved in such a short space of time to be able to deliver to patients and staff. Volunteers have come from other sectors, including infection control and community nursing to help vaccinate and administer patients.”
She is grateful for Humberside Police for ensuring a presence, particularly after dark at the East Marsh Centre.
Patients arrive and receive the jab at a pre-booked time. They then undergo observations in one of several rooms within the medical centre before they leave, usually within 30 minutes of arrival.
The seven clinics operating each have two staff and there are three observers and a number of admin staff and attendants.
The first doses of the Oxford vaccination are due to be given from Friday, while the second batch of the BioNTech Pfizer jab are also been given to those who received their first vaccination before Christmas. The chief nurse said she was pleased that only one out the 400 booked had not turned up. “Everyone has appreciated the service and the staff and have been kind to the staff, “she said. Michael Moore, 83 and his wife Peggy, 82, of Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes, married for over 60 years, were among the first to receive their jabs at the medical centre. Michael, who is retired from the fish industry, said: “It was very efficient and calming. We only got the confirmation yesterday.” Peggy, a former yoga teacher for 35 years, said: “It has gone very well and the staff are all kind.”
John Gray, 80, of Holton-le-Clay,
who worked as an electrician at Grimsby’s Ladysmith Birds Eye factory for 35 years, said: “My health is not all that good so I am glad to have had the vaccination and to be first in line.” Deputy Director of Public Health in North East Lincolnshire, Geoff Barnes, said the vaccine will be rolled out into care homes in the coming weeks. He also confirmed a mass vaccination centre is being looked into for North East Lincolnshire.
He said: “We’ve already reached a large proportion of our over 80 population, getting the first dose of the vaccine in the last few weeks and starting to roll out the vaccine into care homes over the next few weeks.
“The Prime Minister’s highlighted he wants to see the top four priority groups vaccinated by mid-February and we are going to be aiming to achieve this. “Staff are being recruited to support the roll-out and we are looking into the possibility of opening a mass vaccination centre in the borough to ensure that happens. We are working closely with the CCG to get this implemented, there’s a massive amount of work to be done over these next few months to roll it out in an incredibly quick time.” Director of Public Health for North East Lincolnshire, Steve Pintus, added: “This is a huge undertaking, we have the capacity, we have the staff willing, ready to deliver the vaccine.
“As long as the vaccine comes through to the area, we will deliver it.”