One hundred thousand Covid-19 jabs given at Wiltshire vaccination centre
More than 100,000 coronavirus vaccines have been given out at one of Wiltshire’s longest running vaccination centres.
The hard-working team at Spencer Sport and Social Club in Melksham, which has been providing the local community with Covid-19 vaccines for more than 18 months, administered the milestone jab earlier this week.
Staff at the site marked the occasion by decorating the Beanacre Road venue with six giant balloon numbers, consisting of a one and five zeros.
Melksham’s 100,000th vaccine was given out just days before the site is due to temporarily close its doors for the summer months.
Covid-19 vaccines will still be available from other venues in the local area, such as community pharmacies, with jabs also continuing at the larger vaccination sites at Bath Racecourse, Swindon’s Steam Museum and Salisbury City Hall.
The final vaccination clinic at Spencer Sport and Social Club is due to be held on Thursday 26 May, but the team are already looking ahead to a return later in the year when a further round of booster vaccines is expected.
Dr Abby Burgess, GP at Giffords Road Surgery, said: “Everybody has worked incredibly hard to make the vaccination programme such a success.
“Without the hard work and professionalism of our clinical and non-clinical volunteer teams, it simply would not have been possible to provide such a comprehensive local vaccination service for so long.
“My personal thanks, as well as that of all the practice staff, go out to all who have worked with us with such dedication, good humour and resilience.”
Most people require three separate coronavirus vaccinations, made up of two primary doses and a further booster jab, to be fully protected against Covid-19.
In addition, people aged 75 and over, as well as care home residents and those aged 12 and over with a weakened immune system, are being advised to top up their immunity with a second booster jab.
These vaccines are currently being given out at local vaccination centres, with those eligible encouraged to have the jab approximately six months after the date of their first booster.
Although a small number of people have reported some flu-like symptoms following their second booster, experts have stressed that these temporary side effects are incredibly mild when compared to Covid-19 itself.
Further details about Covid-19 can be found online at www.nhs.uk, while more information on the local rollout of the vaccine, including an extensive list of frequently asked questions, is available at www.bswccg.nhs.uk.