Covid-19 vaccination centre to open at Holsworthy
Covid-19 vaccination being carried out at Exmouth. Pictured - Jim and Jean Copeland with nurse Kate Nichols. - Credit: NHS Devon
The first Covid-19 vaccination centre in North Devon and Torridge opens at Holsworthy Medical Centre tomorrow (Saturday, December 19).
Today’s announcement (Friday, December 18) from the NHS in Devon said Holsworthy would be among six other centres across the county beginning the vaccination program today or Saturday.
Two of those, Dawlish and Plympton, are due to start on Monday. The other locations are Clare House at Tiverton, Plymouth Pavilions and St Leonard’s Practice in Exeter.
Local people are still being reminded not to contact their practice or hospital to ask about an appointment – the NHS will contact you when it is your turn.
It bring the total number of vaccination locations to 14, with more due to open soon, according to today’s announcement, but no date has been given as yet.
Dr Rosalind Wardle, senior partner at Ruby Country Medical Group in Holsworthy, said: “We are really pleased that from Saturday we will be able to offer this lifesaving vaccine to people in our local communities. “Our teams have been working day and night to ensure we are ready to start vaccinating people as soon as our delivery of the vaccine arrives. “We would like to thank all those who have been waiting patiently to be contacted for their invitation.
“We are working through our patient lists in priority order, as set out in the national guidance, and will make contact with everyone who is eligible in due course.”
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The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is complicated to deliver, with each site needing to meet stringent requirements on freezer storage, adequate space for patient observation areas post-vaccine, staffing levels to maintain safety and normal general practice activity, and capacity to run centres seven days a week, as needed.
The measures mean that not all health locations can be used to deliver the vaccine, but the NHS in Devon says it is working hard to open more centres around the county.
The centres 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.
