Covid-19 vaccinations to be rolled out to people aged 70 and over
People across the region aged 70 and over, and those clinically extremely vulnerable, will be invited to get their Covid-19 vaccinations from today, January 18th.
The NHS has so far been working to vaccinate the first priority groups which include:
Care home residents and staff
Over 80s
Frontline health care and staff
Vaccinating these groups will remain the priority, but vaccination sites now have enough supply and capacity to vaccinate further people.
Health Secretary and West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock said:
“Now that more than half of all over-80s have had their jab, we can begin vaccinating the next most vulnerable groups. Where an area has already reached the vast majority of groups 1-2, they can now start opening up the programme to groups 3-4.
“We are working day and night to make sure everyone who is 70 and over, our health and social care workers and the clinically extremely vulnerable are offered the vaccine by the middle of February and our NHS heroes are making huge strides in making this happen.
“This measure does not mean our focus on getting care homes, healthcare staff and those aged 80 and over vaccinated is wavering - it will remain our utmost priority over the coming weeks to reach the rest of these groups.”
It comes as the first mass-vaccination centre opens in Norfolk.
In Norwich, the Food Court at Castle Quarter will be used to give thousands their immunisation.It's part of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history.
People will still be able to get vaccinated at hospitals and GP surgeries, but the mass-vaccination hubs will help the health service meet the large targets set by the government.
More than 3.5 million people in the UK have now received their first dose of a vaccine and the government say they hope to see that number rise into the tens of millions by the spring.Dr David Vickers, medical director at Cambridge Community Services NHS Trust, which is co-ordinating delivery of the large vaccination centre in Norwich said:
Letters are being sent to people aged 80 and over who live up to a 45 minute drive from the centre, inviting them to book an appointment either online or over the phone.
Robert Bradly, centre manager of Castle Quarter said:
A mass-vaccination site will also be opening at The Lodge in Wickford near Chelmsford in Essex.
The NHS is reminding people not to turn up to the vaccine centres without an appointment.