Rollout of Covid-19 vaccine continues across city

More patients in Wolverhampton are getting the Covid-19 jab as the rollout of the vaccination programme continues in the city.

Covid-19 vaccination services across the Black Country and West Birmingham went live on Monday (14 December), when the first vaccines were administered at Wood Road Surgery in Tettenhall Wood and Feldon Lane Medical Practice, Halesowen.

Vaccinations are now being delivered at Mayfield Medical Practice’s branch in Bushbury and at Woodcross Medical Centre, a branch surgery of Health and Beyond.

Patients aged 80 and above who are mobile are the first to be able to receive the jab, which will be made available to other priority groups in the coming weeks – initially those deemed to be at greatest risk of Covid-19 because of age or underlying health conditions.

GPs and other primary care staff will contact eligible patients to book them in to vaccination clinics as the vaccine is rolled out across the city.

More GP vaccination services will be established over the coming weeks, as well as larger vaccine centres in the New Year when further supplies of the vaccine become available; details will be confirmed in due course.

Dr Salma Reehana, Clinical Chair, Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "We hope that, by delivering the vaccine at sites in the community across the city, the opportunity to have the vaccine is accessible to our most vulnerable population.

“We're working with our GPs and partners to ensure that we can vaccinate those with most need as outlined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

“We will be in touch with those eligible for a vaccine as soon as we have appointments available – there’s no need for people to contact their pharmacy or GP – and I'd encourage people to step forward when they’re asked to do so because this is our opportunity to protect ourselves and each other.”

John Denley, Wolverhampton’s Director of Public Health, said: "The development of this vaccine is a real turning point in our fight against Covid-19 and, when you are invited to get yours, I would strongly advise you to have it.

“But for now we all still need to remain vigilant and follow the Hands, Face, Space guidance and adhere to the Tier 3 restrictions.

“You must of course get a Covid-19 test if you develop symptoms of the virus, and we're also encouraging people to get a lateral flow test, the rapid test which you can do if you don’t have symptoms to see whether you are carrying the virus or not; if you are, it will enable you to self-isolate and prevent the virus from spreading to others.”

Latest data shows there were 262.01 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the seven days to 15 December. That means 689 people in the city tested positive for the virus in that seven day period – though the true number of new cases will likely be considerably higher.

The latest information and guidance around coronavirus is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus and on the council’s own coronavirus pages at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/coronavirus. Further details of the Tier 3 Very High Alert restrictions currently in place, and the answers to frequently asked questions, are available at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/covidalert.