Gatwick Airport offers itself to be mass vaccination centre
Bosses have been speaking with the NHS
Discussions are being held to decide if part of Gatwick Airport could be used as a Covid-19 vaccination centre.
The airport’s South Terminal has been closed for months and is likely to remain that way for the foreseeable future.
But, if all goes well, it could soon be offering help to the vaccination programme.
The news was shared by Stephen Hillier (Con) during a meeting of Mid Sussex District Council on Wednesday (January 27th).
Mr Hillier, who represents the council on the Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM), said:
“The South Terminal has been closed for many months and is likely to be so for many more months to come.
“Hence they’ve offered the location, along with car parks and their staff, to central government as a vaccination centre.
“I believe the NHS are already in conversation with them.”
This would not be the first time Gatwick has stepped up to offer help. In November, a Covid screening centre was opened in the South Terminal’s car park.
A spokesman for the airport said:
“Gatwick has been in discussions offering interim usage of space at the airport for Covid-19 vaccinations.
“As soon as any decisions have been made they will be shared appropriately.”
The airport has been hit hard by the pandemic, with airlines such as Virgin Atlantic and Norwegian either cutting services or leaving Gatwick completely.
Mr Hillier said staffing levels had fallen from around 3,300 to 1,800, though he had been told that only 600 were actually needed for the ‘current operational level’.
He added:
“Any of us listening to the skies realise just how very, very quiet the airport is.”