PHARMY ARMY OF CHEMISTS BOOST VACCINE PUSH
PHARMACIES JOIN MASS EFFORT TO ADMINISTER VACCINES
THE first six pharmacies to join the Covid vaccination roll-out began to administer jabs yesterday, with the head of one calling it ‘the biggest single day of my career’.
Andrew Hodgson was thrilled to start immunising patients at Andrews Pharmacy in Macclesfield, Cheshire, after a ‘whirlwind’ of preparations.
He gave the first dose of the Oxford/ AstraZeneca jab to 82-year-old Robert Salt and said: ‘I feel close to the people who are getting vaccinated and it is a personal experience for them.’
Mr Salt said it was ‘wonderful’ to receive his first dose, adding: ‘There was a little trepidation but it’s good, everything has gone fine today, apart from the weather.’
Injections were also given at Boots in Halifax, West Yorkshire, Superdrug in Guildford, Surrey, Woodside Pharmacy in Telford, Shropshire, Appleton Village Pharmacy in Widnes, Cheshire and Cullimore Chemist in Edgware, north London. They join 200 hospitals, 800 GP clinics and seven mass vaccination centres where jabs are available.
The government aims to vaccinate everyone in the four most vulnerable groups by the middle of next month.
But figures reveal a patchy start in England, with the Midlands administering more doses than any other area.
A total of 447,329 have been given in the region, with 387,647 people having at least one injection.
London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was ‘hugely concerned’ after the capital delivered just 237,524 doses.
NHS figures indicate about half of people aged 80 and over in north-east England and Yorkshire have received their first dose – dropping to three in ten in eastern England, with a similar proportion in London.
No.10 said: ‘We’ve rolled out the vaccination programme across the country and we’ve ensured that every area receives a fair share of the vaccinations and we will continue to do that.’