Racecourse opens up as centre for vaccinations

THE Westcountry saw the opening of its first large vaccination centre yesterday, when Taunton racecourse administered its first jabs.

This is part of a ‘wave’ of similarly sized centres that will be opening across the country as part of the national plans to ramp up the vaccination programme.

Once the new site is fully operational, it is expected to be able to deliver around 900 vaccinations a day.

The racecourse will be open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm in order to administer vaccine jabs to members of the public in the highest priority risk groups.

This is dedicated to inoculate people such as those over the age of 80 as well as frontline healthcare staff first.

NHS letters will be sent over the weekend to residents in the identified priority groups who live up to 45 minutes away from the new site, inviting them to book a jab.

These bookings will be done through the new national booking service by phone or online.

Alison Wootton, joint senior responsible officer for the Somerset Covid-19 vaccination programme, said: “This is a really exciting development in our local fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are really pleased to use the racecourse setting in addition to the 13 GP-led community sites and two hospital hubs already in place.”

Ms Wootton described how this latest development will rapidly increase the number of people that can be vaccinated quickly and safely across Somerset. Trudi Grant, director of Public Health at Somerset County Council said she is was “thrilled” at the launch.