First Covid vaccination service opens at Ashfield Health Village

The site in Kirkby opened on January 5 and will support the roll out of the national vaccination programme.

In the coming weeks, other locations across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will also open for vaccinations.

One of the first residents to get vaccinated at the Ashfield site was Eric Gent, 81, who was over the moon he was receiving his vaccine.

Eric said: “The experience today has been very straightforward. The people who are organising it know exactly where they want you and what they want from you and the place is geared up to fit in with that.

“There was no pain at all – a jab is just a jab.

This will mean I don’t have to worry so much about Covid now, even when I just want to have a walk down the road it gives me that cover.”

Recipients of the vaccine will be called forward in priority order as set out by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The NHS will send letters to eligible people in due course and vaccines will be by appointment only.

First priority at the Ashfield Health Village site is for those over the age of 80 and frontline health and social care workers.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, council leader, said: “This is an exciting moment for Ashfield as we celebrate the opening of the first vaccination service in Nottinghamshire, which will play a vital role in the biggest immunisation programme in NHS history.”

Health bosses have asked the public to wait until they have received a letter before contacting the NHS, their GP or local hospital hub – the letter will have full details of how to make an appointment.

Once you have received a letter, please make your appointment as quickly as possible.

Coun Zadrozny continued “Although the rollout of the vaccine is exciting and we hope it will prove to be a pivotal moment in the fight against Covid-19, I’d ask people to be patient and wait until they are contacted.

"The NHS will contact you when it’s your turn so please don’t turn up at a vaccination centre, don’t ring your GP or local hospital.

“I’d encourage everyone who receives a letter inviting them to have the vaccine, to get it just as Eric has.

"This will protect them from Covid-19 and hopefully help us all return to a more normal way of life as quickly as possible.

“Despite us now being back in a national lockdown, it feels like there is finally light at the end of the tunnel and I’m so proud of everyone who has worked hard to get to this stage – thank you.

"We will continue working with our partners to support the rollout in any way we can.”

Dr Thilan Bartholomeuz, GP and clinical lead for the Mid-Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Partnership said: “This is a significant day in the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Nottinghamshire.

“I’d like to thank all of those involved for their continued hard work and efforts on what is the biggest vaccination programme the NHS has ever undertaken.

“We understand that everyone is keen to be vaccinated but ask the public to be patient so we can prioritise vaccinating those most at risk first.”