Mass vaccination site opens in North Walsham

It's the third to open in the county this week

Author: Sharon PlummerPublished 6th Feb 2021
Last updated 6th Feb 2021

Norfolk's third new large-scale vaccination centre this week is opening in North Walsham today (6 February).

The site at the Community Centre on New Road will be offering jabs to people within a 45 minute drive who have an appointment.

Similar immunisation hubs opened in King's Lynn and Attleborough earlier this week.

Dr David Vickers, Medical Director, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust which is co-ordinating delivery of the large vaccination centres across Norfolk and Waveney said:

"We are delighted to be launching large vaccination centres in Kings Lynn, Attleborough and North Walsham; joining the centre already successfully delivering this life saving vaccination at the Castle Quarter Shopping Centre in Norwich. Further centres will roll out in the coming weeks.

"The centres are capable of delivering thousands of vaccines in the coming weeks and provide a major boost to our plans to offer protection to those who would benefit most as quickly as possible.

"We'd like to say an enormous thank you to our amazing staff and volunteers for their incredible hard work, and also to colleagues at the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, Alive West Norfolk, the Trustees of Connaught Hall, and North Walsham Community Centre for letting us use their premises for this vital vaccination programme."

Melanie Craig, Chief Executive, NHS Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group added:

"NHS staff are doing an incredible job to deliver what it is the largest vaccination programme in our history, at the same time as providing vital services for people who need our care. A significant number of Norfolk and Waveney's most vulnerable patients have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and this new centre will accelerate progress even further.

"Please don't contact the NHS to seek a vaccine; we will contact you. When you are contacted, please attend your booked appointments. It is vital that you do not attend the Kings Lynn, Attleborough or North Walsham vaccination centres if you do not have an appointment as you will not be able to receive a vaccination.

"I urge people across Norfolk and Waveney to continue following all the guidance to control the virus and save lives - that means staying at home as much as you can, and always remembering 'hands, face and space; it's also vital for people that have had a dose of the vaccine to continue following the same guidance."

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.