THE NHS in the South West is praising the herculean efforts of staff and volunteers across the region as it marks the first anniversary of the first COVID vaccination and the start of the biggest immunisation programme in history.

 

More than 10.5 million doses have been given in the South West since December 2020, delivered through large scale vaccination centres, hospital hubs, GP surgeries and community pharmacies.

 

Rachel Pearce, Regional Director of Commissioning and Senior Responsible Officer for the COVID Vaccination programme for NHS England, South West, said: “The dedication of vaccination teams across health and care has been phenomenal.

 

“Their endless energy has seen us go from a region delivering hundreds of COVID vaccinations on that very first day to thousands and then millions.

 

“I would like to extend a very big thank to all NHS staff and volunteers for pulling out all the stops to help make the vaccination programme for the South West such a success.

 

“I would also like to thank everyone who has come forward to have their COVID vaccination and protect themselves, their loved ones, friends and colleagues against this potentially deadly virus.”

Dr Julie Yates, Lead Consultant for Screening and Immunisation for NHS England and NHS Improvement South West, said: “The energy and dedication by NHS staff, volunteers and people who have been vaccinated, to protect as many people from the COVID virus has been inspiring.

 

“However, our work is not done. Having come so far, with the emergence of the Omicron variant, and as we are just weeks away from Christmas break, we can not be complacent. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of coming forward, when you are called, for your vital top-up booster vaccination, as well as encouraging anyone who has not yet had their first or second doses that it’s not too late to come forward and take up the offer. The COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your loved ones and our wider community against this infection, and even more so since the advent of the recent Omicron variant.”

 

University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) and Livewell Southwest (LSW) are today also marking one year since the COVID vaccination programme launched. "To date, we have delivered almost half a million vaccinations (453,283 to be exact)," said a spokesperson.The first vaccine arrived with us at UHP on 8 December last year, when 88-year-old Dennis Lyne became the first patient in Devon and Cornwall to be vaccinated against COVID-19. During this time UHP has been responsible for two mass vaccination sites, one based at Derriford Hospital and the second at Home Park Stadium. Home Park now acts as the main mass vaccination site for Plymouth and the surrounding area and we are now well into the booster programme, delivering many as 3,000 vaccinations every day.It has been a huge collaborative effort to get to this point. UHP and LSW staff have been delivering vaccinations day in, day out. Alongside our vaccinators we have a wealth of fantastic volunteers, our security team, staff from both clinical and non-clinical backgrounds keeping things running and the Plymouth Argyle team who have hosted the vaccination centre for the last twelve months.Currently, you can pre-book your COVID-19 booster online if it’s been five months (152 days) since you had your second dose and you are:

 

aged 40 and over

aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts you at increased risk from COVID-19.

Frontline health and social care workers