New year sees arrival of more vaccination sites as number of local coronavirus infections continue to rise
The start of 2021 will see more eligible people across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire receive the lifesaving coronavirus vaccine as additional community-based vaccination sites begin to open.
More new sites are expected to open their doors to patients between Friday 8 and Friday 15 January, with some now offering the newly-approved vaccine developed at Oxford University.
Areas of Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire that have seen a coronavirus vaccine site open this week include Trowbridge, Calne, Batheaston, Wilton, Tidworth, Malmesbury and Midsomer Norton.
News of these additional sites comes as cases of coronavirus across the region continue to rise.
Gill May, Director of Nursing and Quality, said: “The first few months of this new year is when we really expect to hit our stride in terms of vaccinating those who are most at risk of developing serious health complications after catching coronavirus.
“To know that more vaccination sites are opening up within the first two weeks of the year is remarkable, and a reflection of our overall ambition to offer the vaccine quickly and safely to as many people as possible.
“I know that many people, especially those over the age of 80, will be feeling anxious over not having yet received an invitation to be vaccinated, but please be patient and rest assured that we are working our way through the lists and no person will be forgotten.”
People expecting to receive a vaccine appointment letter are asked not to contact their local GP practice or hospital, and instead wait to be contacted by the NHS, which is allocating appointments based on the number of available vaccines.
In Swindon alone, it is expected that up to 9,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine will be delivered by the end of January.
These community vaccines come in addition to the many vaccinations being carried out each week by the teams at the Great Western Hospital.
When all of the new vaccination sites are up and running, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire will have around 20 venues offering the vaccines to those who are eligible.
Since December, a number of venues across the region, including the Steam Museum in Swindon and the Corn Exchange in Devizes, have established vaccination clinics, which have helped hundreds of people to receive the vaccine in a single day.
The ICB, along with other NHS organisations across the country, is inviting people to be vaccinated in order of priority need, which has been outlined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
People with questions about the local coronavirus vaccination programme are encouraged to send their queries via email to bswicb.vaccinequery@nhs.net.
More information about the vaccine can be found online at www.nhs.uk.
- The following community-based vaccine sites have been in operation since December:
– Steam Museum, Swindon
– Corn Exchange, Devizes
– Rowden Surgery, Chippenham
– Combe Down Surgery, near Bath
– The White Horse Health Centre, Westbury
– Ramsbury Surgery, Marlborough
– Spencer Sport and Social Club, Melksham - The following community-based vaccine sites have opened during the week commencing 4 January:
– Wingfield Surgery, Trowbridge
– Michael Herbert Centre, Wilton
– Tidworth Leisure Centre, Tidworth
– Malmesbury Primary Care Centre, Malmesbury
– Batheaston Medical Centre, Batheaston
– Somer Centre, Midsomer Norton
– Northlands Surgery, Calne