Covid-19 vaccinations begin at care homes in Shropshire
A care home in Wellington is the first in Shropshire to begin Covid-19 vaccinations.
The roll-out of the vaccination programme to care homes in the county began with Morris Care Centre, where 61-year-old John Heggarty was among the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Mr Heggarty said he was pleased and proud to mark the start of the vaccine roll-out to care home residents in the area.
He said: “It’s really great that I’ve got to be vaccinated so soon and in the comfort of the care home I live in, not having to travel for the vaccine.
“I look forward now to a return to a new normal and this is one more step forward towards helping with safe visits again from my family, I have really missed seeing them in person.”
Dr Dez Ebenezer, GP managing partner at Wellington Medical Practice and clinical director of Wrekin Primary Care Network, said: "We are delighted to be vaccinating our first care home residents at Morris Care.
"We look forward to more care home residents in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin benefitting from the vaccination programme and the protection it offers."
In addition, a further two GP practices in the county started to offer the vaccination on Tuesday.
The roll out began in mid-December and is being offered first to the most vulnerable residents in line with national guidelines.
Residents will be contacted directly by their GP if they are eligible for the vaccine, as part of the priority group criteria – those aged 80 and above along with care home workers and residents and NHS workers who are at higher risk.
People are being asked to wait until they receive a letter or phone call from their GP inviting them to book their appointment.
Vital
Telford & Wrekin Council leader, Shaun Davies, welcomed the news.
“Making sure that all our vulnerable residents and those at higher risk are protected and getting the vaccine as a priority is vital as we continue to battle Covid-19," he said.
“I will continue to do everything I can to support the roll-out of the vaccination as quickly as possible.”
Liz Noakes, director of public health for Telford & Wrekin Council, thanked the staff involved in the getting the vaccination service up and running.
"It is testament to their hard work that we’ve been able to rapidly roll out the programme across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin," she said.
“I’d urge everyone to take up the vaccine when it’s offered – it’s our best protection against Covid-19.
“However, the full vaccination roll-out in our borough will take some time – it’s important that we all continue to do everything we can to prevent the spread of the virus in the borough, particularly at this time, when there are new Covid-19 variants spreading quickly across the country.
“Please continue to self-isolate and get tested when you need to. Do not socialise indoors, wash your hands, wear a face covering where appropriate and maintain a distance of two metres from other people.”
