New mass vaccination centre up and running
The North East's first mass vaccination centre has started operating.
The International Centre for Life, in Newcastle, opened its doors to ad m i n i s te r th e vac c i n e to people in the region yesterday.
Invitation letters are being delivered to people aged 80 or over, who live within a 30 to 45 minute drive from th e n ew c e ntre, ex p l a i n - ing how they can book a slot for a vaccination.
The centre – one of seven in the country – offers an alternative to GP and hospital services and each aims to deliver thousands of doses of the new Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine every week.
Professor Neil Watson, of Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, wh o i s r u n n i n g th e C ov id Vaccination Programme in the region, said: “The vaccination centres are an important part of the next phase of rolling out the vaccination programme more widely.
“We are working closely with primary care who are doing an amazing job vaccinating their most vulnerab l e pat i e nt s a n d m a k i n g su re c a re h o m e re s i d e nt s and staff get their vaccinations.”
He added: “Now we have O x fo rd A s tra Z e n e c a , G Ps are able to take vaccines to housebound patients too.
“Our focus is on the top priority cohorts and we are all inspired by the potential of saving thousands of lives and knowing this gives many of us hope for the future.”
More centres are planned expected to be up and running by the end of the month as the Government aims to vaccinate 15million people in the four most vulnerable groups before the middle of next month.