JLR trials Covid vaccine hub for employees at Solihull factory

ABOUT 4500 workers received their Covid jabs during a pop-up NHS hub at the Land Rover factory in Solihull - with other companies urged to follow suit

The groundbreaking pilot scheme for JLR workers was initiated by the NHS and Public Health Solihull in an attempt to find “innovative ways of getting to as many people being vaccinated as possible.”

JLR staff will return for their second vaccine within the 12-week timescale.

JLR’S chief medical officer Dr Steven Iley said the pilot vaccination programme last month ensured workers were “contributing to the protection.”

Ruth Tennent, the director of Public Health for Solihull, said: “What we’re trying to do here is really test our new approaches to vaccinating people against Covid.

“And what we want to do now is start looking at really innovative ways of getting to people, so we can get as many people vaccinated as possible.”

She added: “What we’re doing here today is very much about the next phase of vaccination and in no way detracts from really that crucial job of getting all those people in the highest risk categories vaccinated.”

“I was quite honoured to get the vaccination at a workplace,” said JLR group leader Rav Bansal. “It will help a lot of people, even with their loved ones and looking after others around them, and getting back to a bit of a normality.”

JLR employee Lynn Rhodes, who also received the vaccine, added: “It’s just the convenience of it. It was great for me I could just go in work time. It gives me peace of mind that once I know I’ve had the vaccine and the second injection that I’m safe.”

JLR has also created a well-being centre helping sick workers overcome so-called “long Covid.”