Efforts ramped up with 1 million jab goal in sight
REGION ON TRACK TO
VACCINATE UP TO 2,000 PEOPLE A DAY
THE North East is set to hit the target of one million people vaccinated against Covid-19 this week.
The region’s fourth mass vaccination centre will soon be protecting up to 2,000 patients a day.
Medics and volunteers carried out their first jabs at the Darlington Arena, in County Durham, as it opened for the first time on Monday.
It will now target ‘as many people as possible as quickly as possible.’ And experts say the region will have one million people vaccinated within days – around half of the adult population.
Dr Stewart Findlay, primary care director for the NHS programme in the North East and North Cumbria, said they need more clinical staff to do the assessments, with many retired clinicians now volunteering.
“We would appeal to retired GPs and nurses to come forward if they can help,” he added. “I would urge them to get in touch if they want to be involved.
“We need a clinical presence, and we know there is an untapped resource. We have the capacity to do 2,000 vaccinations a day. Most of the vaccinations so far have been done by GPs in primary care. The mass vaccination centres will now step up to more mobile age groups – and start to do the second jabs for the first patients vaccinated.
“But one million doses will be done by the end of this week in the North East, which is getting up to almost 50% of the adult population.”
The NHS had vaccinated more than 904,000 people in the area as of Monday, with all people aged over 80 now vaccinated, and nine out of 10 older care home residents.
The vast majority of people in the 70-75 age groups have now also been offered vaccination.
The latest groups in line for the jab are those deemed to be clinically vulnerable aged 16-24, and the over-60s.
It is hoped the mass vaccination centres will also be able to target some of the 200,000 NHS staff who have yet to receive their vaccination.
Carer Paige Mallender, 25, who works at an assisted living home for the elderly in her home town of Darlington, had been unable to get her first vaccination due to illness.
She said: “I waited a bit longer because I was unwell, but I feel relieved to get it done.”
She was vaccinated by senior nurse Suzanne Medows, 62, of Newcastle, who gave the first Covid-19 jab in the North East in December. Suzanne volunteered for the vaccine role after retiring for just 24 hours following 44 years of unstinting service to the NHS.
She said: “I retired on November 30 last year, but I was back into work on December 2 so it was a very short retirement. I am doing three days a week and I have been to all the mass vaccination centres in the region.
“I am looking for one with a caravan park attached so I can take a break!”
Jenny and Martin Fowles, both 63, of Danby, North Yorkshire, were both getting their jabs. Jenny, a housewife and mum-of-two, said: “I booked an appointment at the centre because you can get it done quicker. There is hope now, for the first time.”
Penny Spring, director of public health at Darlington Borough Council, said: “The Covid-19 vaccine is helping to reduce rates of serious illness and save lives, which is why it’s vital everyone who is invited for a vaccine takes up the opportunity.”
People are invited to attend Large Vaccination Centres by the National Booking Service run by NHS England. They receive a letter and are invited to book online or by calling 119. Only people invited to book can do so. was £8.50