Coronavirus vaccination hub set up at Stoke Mandeville Stadium

The wheels have begun turning for vaccinations to begin across Aylesbury Vale.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told sky news this morning that the UK is 'on course' for two million vaccinations a week.

GP's are issuing the following guidance to residents:

They have asked that patients don't just turn up to their surgeries.

Patients will be invited along for an appointment and they must adhere to government guidelines to help stop the spread of Coronavirus.

They have asked patients to arrive 5 minutes before hand so as not to snarl up the roads around the area and the car park.

You will have to enter via Harvey Road and leave via Stadium approach ( there will be Marshall’s about to keep things flowing)

Please wear a short sleeved top to make it quicker for the GP’s to do the jabs - HOWEVER layer up as you will need to sit for 15 minutes after having the jab.

A statement from Poplars Grove Patients PPG said:

"The stadium will feel cold as it’s a big area and there will be 2 doors open for entrance & exit (also allowing fresh air in).

"So with the current cold spell bring yr hat/scarf & gloves - if raining an umbrella as you will exit via a different door and it’s a short walk to the car park."

Haddenham Medical Centre wrote to their patients on their facebook page, explaining what a difficult task it had been.

They said: " As we and our Patient Participation Group (PPG) have described before, the logistics for these new vaccines are very difficult.

"Just as COVID is not "just flu", the COVID vaccines are also much more complex than flu jabs.

"This hub has been made possible by weeks of work by GP practices across the Aylesbury Vale, led by Dr Sajid Zaib of Oakfield Surgery, with the Clinical Commissioning Group, Buckinghamshire Council, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, and a group of enthusiastic volunteers including Brian Rogers from our own PPG."

Vaccinations will start next week and will be 'rolled out as quickly as possible'.

The statement continued:

"We know you are impatient for vaccination – we want you to have it too!

"But please be patient – this will take time. We do not have an unlimited supply of the vaccine.

"The amount of vaccine we receive, and the timings of those deliveries are not under our control.

"The Government has set an ambitious target of vaccinating patients in our top four at-risk groups by mid-February.

"For our practice alone, this is about 1700 patients. We can do this, but it will be a big challenge.

"There is a strict policy determining who will be offered the vaccine first. This is devised by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and not by us.

"This policy is designed to ensure that people receive the vaccine quickly but fairly, according to their risks of harm from the virus.

"Please be aware we cannot overrule this or bump people up the queue."