Harrogate hospital staff hail Covid vaccine as 'beacon of hope' amid pandemic

Staff at Harrogate District Hospital have hailed the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine after clinics began earlier this week.
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Vaccinations for frontline hospital workers and vulnerable members of staff have been taking place since Monday, January 4 - with the first batch carrying 975 doses to be delivered across five days.

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Chief Nurse Jill Foster said the vaccine has been well received by staff and is offering a “beacon of hope” for moving forwards through the pandemic.

Lorraine Robinson, Assistant Team Leader in the Medical Records department at the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, received the Covid-19 vaccine earlier this week.Lorraine Robinson, Assistant Team Leader in the Medical Records department at the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, received the Covid-19 vaccine earlier this week.
Lorraine Robinson, Assistant Team Leader in the Medical Records department at the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, received the Covid-19 vaccine earlier this week.

She said: “So far it is going really well and the staff are very happy.

“They are saying it is a painless experience and they are glad the process has started.

“After working non-stop throughout the crisis, many people have been worried about going home to their families and this extra protection is really comforting to them.

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“It finally feels like we have a solution and the end is in sight.”

Vulnerable members of staff, including those who are older and those with pre-existing health conditions, have been prioritised, as well as people working on the frontline and in patient-facing roles.

And despite a small bump in the road when the first batch of vaccines was slightly delayed on Monday, Jill says everyone has been working hard to ensure things run as smoothly as possible.

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She added: “We had to wait a couple of hours for the vaccine delivery on Monday, but we were well prepared and this is a huge operation so we expected some curveballs. We were up and running not long after and everything has been going as planned.

“We are really hopeful this will get us back on track and if everyone sticks to the lockdown rules and follows the guidance, we should be able to limit the spread as much as possible.”

Lorraine Robinson, Assistant Team Leader in the Medical Records department at the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, was one of the first members of staff to receive the vaccine and believes it is a ‘necessity’ in the fight against coronavirus.

She told the Harrogate Advertiser: “I have two autoimmune conditions, my husband has one and I currently care for my two elderly parents.

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“I also have a seven-month-old grandson, so protecting my family is a huge priority for me, as well as keeping other staff and patients safe.

“I was so happy to get the vaccine and it felt just like getting the flu jab. It barely hurt and the benefits definitely outweigh any concerns.

“We have had worries about our families and those around us hanging on our shoulders throughout the pandemic so it is such a huge, positive step forward to get this extra protection now.

“For those working with patients it is a two-way street - they have to protect themselves and their families, as well as patients and theirs, so having the vaccine can only be a good thing.

“We need to protect as many people as we can.”