Sussex confirmed as Covid-19 vaccination hub
Here's which local trusts will be part of the first wave of the roll-out
Last updated 7th Dec 2020
The Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton has been confirmed as one of the hospital hubs in England taking part in the first wave of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
The doses will start arriving today (December 7th), with people aged 80, care home workers and some NHS staff set to receive the jabs from Tuesday (December 8th).
It has been described as the biggest immunisation programme in history.
The Royal Sussex is run by the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (BSUH), which also runs the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.
Portsmouth's Queen Alexandra Hospital has also been named among 50 sites which are set to start offering the jab from Tuesday.
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock said efforts are underway to vaccinate care home residents "as soon as possible", but there is no guaranteed date.
It is because of logistical issues with the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, meaning there are difficulties getting it to residents.
It has to be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius, and can only be moved four times before being used.
Who will get the vaccine first?
Patients aged 80 and over who are already attending hospital as an outpatient, and those who are being discharged to home after a hospital stay, will be among the first to receive the life-saving jab, health officials said.
Hospitals will also begin inviting over-80s in for a jab and work with care home providers to book their staff in to vaccination clinics.
Any appointments not used for these groups will be used for healthcare workers who are at highest risk of serious illness from the virus.
All those vaccinated will need a booster jab 21 days later.
GP-led networks will start the roll-out from 14th December, with sports venues and conference centres used for mass-vaccination centres when more doses are available.