MALVERN’S Three Counties Showground will open next week as the fourth Covid-19 vaccination centre in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The first was Artrix in Bromsgrove in January, followed by St Peter’s Baptist Church in Worcester and then Elgar House in Hereford.
The Three Counties Showground will be run by SW Healthcare and vaccinations will start on Tuesday, March 2.
SW Healthcare, which also runs the Artrix and St Peter’s vaccination centres, is a federation of GP practices in Worcestershire.
Dr Gemma Moore, GP and Clinical Director for SW Healthcare, said: “This vaccination centre will further increase our local capacity to deliver Covid-19 vaccines, building upon the success of our GP-led teams and those at the other centres in delivering this programme so quickly across the two counties.
“These have been instrumental in helping us to introduce the vaccine in Herefordshire and Worcestershire so far, and we look forward to continuing to drive this programme forward.
“We will be inviting patients based on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority list, targeting the most vulnerable patients first. We’re asking patients not to attend the centre if they haven’t booked an appointment.
“GP-led teams will also be continuing to invite patients to attend local vaccination sites, so those patients who are unable to get to the larger centres can still wait to be called forward by their GP.”
Ken Nottage, Three Counties Showground Chief Executive, said: “Three Counties is proud and honoured to host a vaccination centre for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
“This is not a commercial venture for Three Counties but rather an opportunity for us to play our part in supporting the national challenge to combat Covid-19.
“We have been extremely impressed with the planning and effort that has gone into establishing this facility which is testament to the determination of the NHS to deliver a mass vaccination programme.
“I would encourage the public to play their part now by having a vaccination when they are invited to.”
Over the coming weeks people will continue to be invited to take up the offer to be vaccinated according to the eligible cohorts as outlined nationally by the JCVI.
People should wait for their appointment letter and can then select the Three Counties Showground.
Other sites in the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Covid-19 vaccination network include:
GP-led vaccination services– these are led by Primary Care Networks of local GP surgeries working together. There are 17 of these sites covering all areas of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
GP-led teams working to protect care homes residents vaccinating inside the homes, as well as visiting housebound patients.
Hospital Hubs – protecting hospital staff, care home staff and some hospital patients.
Community pharmacies – one has now opened in Redditch with more planning to open in the coming weeks.
Figures published today by NHS England show nearly 260,000 first vaccinations have now been administered across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
This means that more than 40per cent of the population (those aged over 16) have now had their first dose and have some protection against the virus, including nearly everyone aged over 70 and already over 80 per cent of people aged between 65 and 69.
