MP praises Covid vaccine roll-out and volunteers

Wetherby’s MP Alec Shelbrooke told the Wetherby News that the roll out had made a strong start.

“Nationally we have now vaccinated more than 4 million people, which is a remarkable number in such a short timeframe,” said Mr Shelbrooke.

“Last Wednesday we vaccinated more people in one day than have been vaccinated across the whole of France in three weeks.

“It’s certainly not a competition but here in the UK it is being viewed by Ministers as a race to get citizens vaccinated so we can get our lives moving again.”

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised government that all over-70 year olds and those clinically extremely vulnerable should be prioritised in the initial vaccination rollout.

Two large vaccination sites have opened in the area - Elland Road and Askham Bar Park & Ride and Wetherby Health Centre on Hallfield Lane is the designated vaccination hub for all local surgeries in the Wetherby area.

Patients over 80 have been receiving vaccinations since before Christmas and those over 70 are advised to wait for their GP to contact them when it’s their turn for the vaccine.

Mr Shelbrooke thanked the vaccinators and volunteer marshals at the town’s hub.

He added: “It is a logistical nightmare to make sure there is enough vaccine supply across the country and to make sure hubs such as Wetherby are ready to go as soon as it arrives.

“But it’s testament to our local community that so many have jumped into action: clinicians signing up to deliver the vaccine; GP surgeries phoning priority patients; and local residents volunteering to act as marshals outside the centre. They’re all local vaccine heroes.”

More than 500 care home residents and 2,700 over-80s have been the first priority for vaccinations in the Wetherby area.