Thousands more people to get Covid jabs as mass vaccination centre opens in Cornwall
Vaccinations will start at the Stithians Showground from Monday
Thousands of people are set to get their coronavirus jabs as Cornwall's first mass vaccination centre opens.
Vaccinations are starting at the Stithians Showground site from Monday 25th January.
The centre adds to the sites already offered at Treliske Hospital and through the 12 GP-led primary care networks.
Coronavirus: New mass vaccination centre for Cornwall
The site is one of more than 30 new vaccine centres opening across the country.
The first seven large-scale centres, which can jab thousands of people a week, opened two weeks ago with another 10 opening last week. The latest openings mean there will be a network of almost 50 across the country.
People aged 75 and over are being invited to book a vaccination at the centres or one of more than 70 pharmacy services now operating across the country.
You can take a virtual tour of the Stithians Showground vaccination centre here.
If they cannot or do not want to travel to a Vaccination Centre people can wait to be jabbed by a local GP service or hospital hub.
There are more than 1,000 GP services and more than 250 hospital sites now offering vaccinations in England.
The new Vaccination Centres will kick off by jabbing mainly health and social care staff on Monday before opening their doors to more patients on Tuesday.
More than a million letters have already been sent out inviting people to the 17 Vaccination locations in operation, along with some community pharmacy sites, with hundreds of thousands more being sent to individuals over the age of 80 in the vicinity of these new vaccination sites.
NHS staff have already delivered more than 5.5 million doses of the vaccine and each centre will be capable of jabbing thousands of people every week depending on supply.
“The whole of the NHS has mobilised to set about delivering this huge Covid vaccination programme, and as more supply becomes available, we're able to expand its reach and scale."
Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive
“Through the vaccines delivery plan we have made outstanding progress in vaccinating our NHS and care staff and the most vulnerable people in society.
“My utmost thanks go out to everyone in the NHS and all our volunteers who have worked round the clock to make this happen.
“We must not drop our guard. While the vaccine can prevent severe disease, we do not know if it stops you from passing on the virus to others, and it takes time to develop immunity after a jab, so for now everyone must continue to stay at home to help bring down infections and protect the NHS.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock
“I am delighted we are opening even more places for people to get a jab – as of this week there will be almost 50 vaccination centres, more than 250 hospitals hubs and over 1,000 local vaccination service sites, run by GPs and pharmacies right across the country.
“This will enable us to vaccinate as many people as possible in the weeks and months to come and I encourage anyone who has been invited for a free vaccine to come forward and get a jab.
“Remember, with high levels of infection everyone must continue to follow the rules, stay at home and maintain social distancing – even if you have had the vaccine.”
Vaccine Minister, Nadhim Zahawi