Somerset cowshed to host coronavirus vaccine roll out
Once fully operational its hoped 1,300 people will be vaccinated at the Bath and West Showground every day
Last updated 26th Jan 2021
A second mass vaccination centre has opened in Somerset today (26/01).
A site at the Bath and West Showground has opened its doors to the public after one at Bath Racecourse opened yesterday.
From now on it will be open seven days a week from 8am until 8pm.
The NHS says health and care organisations have been working together over a number of weeks, to put detailed plans in place to prepare the site for the large scale vaccination programme.
Caroline Upton, a Surgical Matron at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Clinical Lead for the site explains “We are very excited to be starting our vaccinations...and it’s great to see all our plans come together.
"It’s been a huge challenge to develop such a large vaccination programme and to creatively plan how to use the showground site in the best way”.
The site's creation has been called a "fantastic team effort", involving people from the local community, the Bath and West estates team, volunteers and partner health and care organisations.
The vaccination site has been set up within the Showering Pavilion at the Bath and West Showground and it is hoped that once fully operational, alongside scheduled deliveries, teams will be able to vaccinate around 1300 people a day through four vaccination ‘pods’.
Nurse Upton has confirmed some of the vaccines will eventually be given inside a cowshed.
"At the moment we're very lucky and our first area of opening, because it's a staged opening, is up in a restaurant area," she said.
"So it's quite luxurious and nice and warm.
"In the future we'll be moving into what is normally used as a cowshed I think for animal exhibitions, but within there we've erected some marquees which are lovely and warm.
"So it's a slightly different experience, but no less good."
Alison Wootton, Joint Senior Responsible Officer for the Somerset COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, said “We‘re delighted to launch our second large vaccination centre.
"This is another huge step forward in our local vaccination programme and will significantly increase the numbers of COVID-19 jabs that we will be able to offer to people in Somerset.
“We want to thank everyone who has supported the development and roll out of all our vaccination sites, including health and care teams, County and District council colleagues, partner organisations and our many community volunteers”.
In just seven weeks, teams across the wider health and care system have worked round the clock to design, develop and launch 13 GP-led community sites, two hospital hubs and now two large vaccination centres at Taunton Racecourse and the Bath and West showground.
The new large vaccination site will continue to offer vaccinations to the priority groups as identified by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation, including the over 80s and frontline health and care staff.