Mass vaccination centres open in Norwich and Wickford

  • Watch Andy Ward's report for ITV News Anglia

Rollout of the covid vaccines has been stepped up in the Anglia region after two new hubs opened in Norwich and Wickford in Essex.

It has come at an important time for the Norwich, the city is one of the few areas in the region where covid cases are still rising.

In total, ten large-scale vaccination centres have opened across the country today. In Norwich it's in the food court at the Castle Quarter shopping centre.

A mass vaccination hub has opened in the food court at Castle Quarter shopping centre in Norwich. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Among the first to get a jab at Castle Quarter was 80-year-old Patrick Snell from Loddon. He's been shielding since the start of the pandemic with his wife.

Patrick Snell said: "Yeah, I feel liberated. It's wonderful to see all you up here, it's emotional. And it's lovely to know I've had it now."

Masterminding it all has been Castle Quarter manager Richard Bradley who's overseen the transformation of the shopping centre's top floor.

Richard Bradley said: "We've been working on it early into last year really when the pandemic started. We were offering space for covid testing, for vaccines - whatever was needed. And they took occupation in October, November time so it's been a long time coming for us."

People in the top four priority groups starting getting their jabs at the mass vaccination centre in Norwich today. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Today is meant to be Blue Monday - the most depressing day of the year. But it certainly doesn't feel like that because there's real excitement that people are starting to get some protection from this awful virus.

And this is the first of 13 large-scale vaccination hubs that are going to be rolled out across Norfolk and Waveney over the coming weeks and months.

The vaccination hubs will now start to offer vaccines to the over 70s and the clinically vulnerable as well.

The Government has said over 70s will start getting their first jabs. Credit: ITV News Anglia

In addition to the centre in Norwich, a similar site at The Lodge in Wickford also started welcoming patients today. The hubs are supporting GPs and hospitals to help vaccinate all 15 million people in the top four priority groups by the middle of next month.

Dr David Vickers, from Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, said: "This is the beginning of us immunising hundreds of people a day, and thousands of people a week, giving many people this life-saving jab."

Despite that though, there are still some who are worried about having the vaccine. The message to them from married couple Pamela and Tristain from Long Stratton is clear.

Tristain said: "Get it done, have no fear. It's the best thing on Earth. That is ridiculous, they should be thankful that this country has taken on this job and Oxford has done a wonderful job."