New mass coronavirus vaccination centres in Bath and Salisbury bring 'light at the end of the tunnel’
Two large-scale vaccination centres are set to be introduced in Salisbury and Bath to aid with the distribution of the Covid vaccine across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire.
People who are eligible for a vaccine and live within a 45-minute drive to either Salisbury City Hall or Bath Racecourse will be written to in the coming days with details of appointment bookings.
Recipients of these letters will be able to choose which venue to attend or choose to wait for an invitation to a GP-led vaccination clinic.
The new large-scale centres will be open every day for a more efficient rollout of the vaccine, and is welcome news given the burden of pressure facing hospitals in our region.
Gill May, director of nursing and quality, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “I’m delighted to announce the opening of these two large-scale vaccination centres, which are the first of their kind in our region.
“Getting these two venues up and running with the help of our community and voluntary sector partners, such as St John’s Ambulance and 3SG, will allow us to provide even more opportunities for people to get vaccinated in addition to what is already being offered at our GP-led sites."
Invitations for a vaccine in Salisbury or Bath for those aged 70 and older, along with health and care workers, will be given out in the coming weeks.
Members of the public without an appointment are being urged not to turn up at the venues as staff will be unable to give the vaccine to anyone without a pre-arranged booking.
Cllr Philip Whitehead, leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “We are proud to play our part in this monumental effort to roll out the vaccine as quickly and safely as possible.
“A vaccine is the light at the end of the tunnel and thanks to the efforts of hugely talented scientific research teams, we find ourselves in this much more hopeful position.
“However, the rollout of the vaccine is a huge logistical undertaking involving many partners and organisations across the country and will take some time.
“In the meantime everyone must keep following the rules to keep each other as safe as possible.”
Dr Bruce Laurence, director of public health, Bath and North East Somerset Council said: “I am thrilled that this vaccination centre is open in our area and I would like to thank the NHS and the many volunteers and other staff who have worked so hard to make it happen.
“But please remember that even if you have had your vaccination, you may still be able to pass the virus on to others, so you must continue to follow all the rules and guidance. Remember: hands-face-space.”
Liam Johnson, Executive Director of Bath Racecourse, said: “We are really pleased to work with Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group to assist them in using our facilities to deliver vaccinations.
“We hope that this will be of benefit to many people around the community.”
More information about the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, can be found here.
Further details about the vaccine itself are also available online on the NHS website.
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