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North West region ramping up Covid-19 vaccine sites

NHS staff will be delivering life-saving Covid-19 jabs at a network of more than 200 vaccination sites across the North West when six more services open their doors today.

Six new pharmacy sites will be opening in the region, including Aintree Racecourse and University of Bolton Stadium, home of Bolton Wanderers Football Club.

Instead of the sound of thousands of football fans and galloping hooves, the two new venues will welcome the sound of a cohort of over-70s arriving for their vaccines.

The new pharmacy vaccination services are in addition to two new Vaccination Centres that launched earlier this week at Blackpool Winter Gardens and Lancaster Town Hall. They are among 210 vaccinations sites now live in the region, made up of five Vaccination Centres, 136 GP-led vaccination services, 46 hospital hubs and 23 pharmacies.

Asif Adam, Superintendent Pharmacist for Whittle Pharmacies Ltd, who are vaccinating at the University of Bolton Stadium said: “The NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme requires a massive effort and drive from everyone and we are so happy to play an active role in delivering this service to our communities in Bolton.

“Our teams have been working extremely hard throughout the pandemic. ensuring that our patients and the public continue to have safe and timely access to medicines, public health information and advice to minimise the spread of this virus. We urge everyone to get vaccinated and help us bring this pandemic to an end, keeping our communities safe.”

Phil Day, Superintendent Pharmacist at Pharmacy2U, who are working with the NHS to deliver the vaccine at the Aintree Racecourse site said: “This is a vitally important service for people across the country, ensuring the most vulnerable in our communities get this vaccination and protect themselves against COVID-19.”

Regional Medical Director (North West), Dr David Levy, said: “NHS staff have worked hard with businesses, community and faith groups to set up an extensive network of vaccination sites that offer a range of options for people in all areas to receive their injection.

“We want to protect as many people as swiftly as possible and with more than 200 sites up and running in our region and more to come we can continue to expand delivery as more vaccine supplies come on stream.”

People aged 70 and over have been invited to arrange a jab at a Vaccination Centre or pharmacy service through the national booking system. Those who cannot or do not want to travel can wait to be invited to their local GP service or hospital.

The country’s leading doctors and nurses have urged people only to come to a vaccination centre when invited to do so, to help ensure that priority groups are served first and to maintain safe social distancing at every venue.

 Chair of the National Pharmacy Association Andrew Lane, said: “Pharmacies are becoming part of the Covid vaccination infrastructure in more and more parts of England. It is great that many independent pharmacies are rising to the challenge, alongside the national chains, GPs, hospitals, and others, in this vital combined effort.

“We are confident that pharmacies will become increasingly core to the success of the vaccination programme as it rolls out. They are ultimately capable of protecting millions of people and can reach into communities across the land, to vaccinate, advise and care.”