People in Devon urged to get COVID-19 vaccine when its their turn
Eight GP-led vaccination centres have opened across the county, including here in Plymouth
Some of the first patients across Devon to be given the Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine have urged people to get vaccinated when it is your turn.
The first phase of GP-led vaccination centres in Devon on Tuesday saw the opening of eight sites serving 49 of the county’s practices.
Those in the over 80 age group have begun to get vaccinated, although in Exmouth, the over 90s age group were exclusively invited for the first tranche of the rollout.
They included 100-year-old Fred Woodall, from Exmouth, who was one of the first to receive the jab at the Exmouth Tennis Centre:
"I’m feeling alright at the moment, I’ve had no effects from it and when invited, I thought I better take it."
Gerald Roberts, aged 90, also from Exmouth, added:
"It’s the best thing to do and you have to take every day as it comes. I had no second thoughts and it is no different to the flu jab that you get done. I am not worried about it, and the best thing to do is to get the vaccine."
The eight locations in Devon’s first wave of local vaccination centres will see nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and other NHS staff working alongside doctors to vaccinate people aged over 80 and care home workers, who have been identified as priority groups for a life-saving vaccination.
Each site has been given 975 initial doses of the vaccine which will be given to patients in the next three or four days.
In Devon, the eight sites in the first phase are;
- The Staddy function centre, Plymouth
- Abbey Surgery, Tavistock
- Exmouth Tennis and Fitness Centre
- Limes Surgery, Exminster
- Okehampton Medical Centre
- Riviera International Centre, Torquay
- St Boniface House, near Buckfastleigh
- Seaton Community Hospital
Between them, the sites will vaccinate people from 49 of the county’s GP practices.
Dr Barry Coakley, a GP and Clinical Director of Woodbury, Exmouth and Budleigh (WEB) Primary Care Network, who is among those leading the set-up of the centre, said:
"We feel honoured to play our part in this wonderful national Covid vaccination programme. This is a really historic day and something we are proud of.
"As soon as the opportunity arose, the teams from all 10 practices have come together, working with great skill and efficiency, seizing the moment to ensure that these lifesaving vaccinations are delivered to our communities."
Four GP practices are working together to open the local vaccination centre at The Staddy, Plymouth.
Dr Mark Sanford-Wood, a GP and Clinical Director of Mewstone Primary Care Network which serves Plymstock, Yealmpton and Wembury, said:
"The Staddy is a well known local venue with plenty of space to safely set up the specialist clinical facilities we need for the programme.
"This is the most significant vaccination programme ever undertaken by the NHS and we are eager to play our part in protecting people against coronavirus and saving lives and livelihoods."
More local vaccination centres run by family doctors will open in coming weeks across the county as the roll-out of the greatest vaccination programme in NHS history expands out of hospital hubs.
The local vaccination sites are using the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, building on the work of the scores of hospital hubs which have already started vaccinating.