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12 new pharmacy sites to offer Covid vaccination in West Midlands

The Al-Abbas Mosque in Balsall Heath, a community centre in Walsall and cricket club in Burslem, Stoke on Trent are among 12 new West Midlands sites that are now delivering life-saving coronavirus vaccinations.

On 14 January 2021 a Telford pharmacy became among the first in the UK to roll out the vaccine. Woodside Pharmacy was the first in the region to start giving Coronavirus vaccinations. It marked the first time that community pharmacies have been involved in the programme and it has resulted in more people aged 80 and over having the opportunity to get the vaccine more locally and by using the new national booking service.

NHS deputy chief pharmaceutical officer Bruce Warner said: “The NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in the health service’s history, has got off to a strong start with our hard-working staff delivering more than (Wednesday jab numbers to go here) million vaccinations. After our successful launch in pharmacies last week, scores more sites are now offering the life-saving jab. As more vaccine supply comes online, we will be able to open even more helping us to vaccinate vulnerable people even faster.”

NHS staff are working around the clock to vaccinate priority groups in line with the guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

That was restricted to those aged 80 along with care home residents and staff but after the strong start the government has opened vaccinations up to all those aged 70 and over and the clinically vulnerable. Those aged 80 or over will continue to be prioritised for appointments.

Those who are eligible are being invited to arrange an appointment at a pharmacy service of Vaccination Centre through the national booking service.
Anyone who cannot or does not want to travel can wait to be vaccinated by their local GP service or hospital.

Nobody needs to contact the NHS, as people will be invited when it is their turn and people cannot get vaccinated by just turning up.
Appointments are staggered to allow for social distancing and people are urged not to turn up early to avoid queues.

The NHS made history when Maggie Keenan became the first person in the world to be protected against coronavirus outside of a clinical trial when she received the Pfizer vaccine at Coventry Hospital on the 8 December.
Research carried out in the NHS also identified the world’s first treatment for Covid, the steroid Dexamethasone.