Temporary pause of vaccinations at Salisbury City Hall and Bath Racecourse during April

Due to the expected shortage of incoming coronavirus vaccine to the UK in April, there will be some temporary changes to the vaccination rollout in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire.

For one week from Sunday 4 April, the large vaccination centre at Bath Racecourse will be temporary closed.

The site will also be closed on Friday 16 April, and will be closing early on April 1, April 2, April 3, April 12, April 13 and April 14.

Vaccinations will also be paused at Salisbury City Hall between Thursday 1 April and Sunday 11 April.

This temporary pause of vaccinations will allow clinicians, who are currently based at the sites, to use their skills in other environments during this period of reduced vaccine supply.

All people who were due to be vaccinated on one of the affected days will be contacted and offered an alternative appointment slot at the earliest possible date.

Gill May, Director of Nursing and Quality, said: “We always knew that the vaccination rollout would require us to be flexible, and this is just one way in which we are adapting our current way of working.

“We have made already made excellent progress in providing the vaccine to half our adult population, and are confident that this temporary pause will not slow us down in meeting the government’s target of offering the vaccine to all over 18s by the end of July.”

Second doses of the coronavirus vaccine will resume at both large vaccination centres after the period of temporary closure, and will be available throughout all of April at other vaccine sites, such as those led by GP practices.

Any person with questions should send an email to bswicb.vaccinequery@nhs.net.