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A hospital in Kent will be among the first to administer the Covid-19 vaccine, as the NHS embarks on its largest vaccination program to date.
The William Harvey in Ashford will open its vaccination center this week.
Run by the East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the hospital is one of 50 in the UK that will deliver the country’s first wave of vaccines.
NHS staff are working through the weekend to prepare for the launch of the program, with the first vaccinations scheduled for Tuesday.
Only 50 hospital vaccination centers will open during the first wave, but more hospitals will begin vaccinating in the coming weeks and months as the program intensifies.
Patients age 80 and older who already attend the hospital as outpatients, and those who are discharged after a hospital stay, will be among the first to receive the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine.
Hospitals will also begin inviting more than 80 people to take a hit and will work with home care providers to book their staff at vaccination clinics.
Any citations not used for these groups will be used for healthcare workers who are most at risk for serious illness from Covid-19.
All vaccinates will need a booster dose 21 days after the first injection.
GPs and other primary care staff are also on standby to begin jabbing.
A small number of primary care networks led by GPs will begin to do so during the following week, starting December 14, with more practices scheduled to gradually join during December and in the coming months.
When more supplies of the vaccine become available, vaccination centers will also open in sports venues and conference centers, with the capacity to treat large numbers of patients.
Professor Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said: “Despite the enormous complexities, hospitals will begin the first phase of the largest-scale vaccination campaign in our country’s history from Tuesday.
“The first tranche of vaccine deliveries will arrive at hospitals on Monday in preparation.
“The NHS has a strong track record of running large-scale vaccination programs, from the flu shot, the HPV vaccine, and life-saving doses of MMR. Working staff will once again face the challenge of protecting the most vulnerable from this terrible disease. “
The life-saving vaccine is usually delivered by a simple injection into the shoulder, but there is a complex and difficult logistical challenge to deliver from manufacturers Pfizer to patients.
Last month, Whitstable’s GP, Dr. John Ribchester, spoke about the challenges faced by surgeries that are scheduled to deliver the vaccine, which must be stored at -70 ° C before thawing.
NHS staff have been working over the weekend to prepare hospital sites and accept deliveries.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Next week will be a historic moment as COVID-19 vaccination begins.
“We are prioritizing the most vulnerable first and those over 80, nursing home staff and NHS colleagues will be among the first to get vaccinated.
“We are doing everything we can to make sure we can overcome the significant challenges to vaccinate nursing home residents as soon as possible as well.
“I urge everyone to do their part to suppress this virus and follow local restrictions to protect the NHS while doing this crucial work.”
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