21/01/2021 - Permalink

Coronavirus: Every GP practice across Shropshire to have access to the vaccines against COVID-19

Related topics: Community / Coronavirus / Health

From the end of next week, eligible patients registered at all Shropshire GP practices will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccinations from GP-led vaccination centres.

Vaccinations will be administered by groups of GP practices, known as primary care networks. This means more people will soon be receiving their vaccine closer to home, alongside the already operational centres which include the hospital hubs at Royal Shrewsbury and Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt in Gobowen. Two other local GP network groups are already operating vaccines as well.

You will be contacted by your GP practice to book your vaccination and you will be advised where you need to go. Please do not contact your practice about the vaccine before then.

This is in addition to national vaccination sites and the three larger vaccination centres opening in Shropshire in February.

In early February, two new centres, in Shrewsbury and Ludlow, will begin the delivery of the vaccines – with a further centre set to open in north Shropshire due to open later in the month. Full details about the exact locations will be revealed next week.

So far, over 27,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin

Other ambitions:-

  • All care home residents and staff are set to receive their vaccination by Monday 25 January
  • All over 80s, over 70s, those who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable and health care workers to receive their vaccination by mid-February.

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adult social care, public health and climate change, said:

“It’s brilliant news that the vaccination programme is accelerating and that more Shropshire residents will be able to have their vaccine closer to home via GP-led vaccination centres. Our local capacity is growing and it means that we expect everyone in the top four priority groups to have been vaccinated against COVID-19 by the middle of February. So even if you’re still waiting to hear about your appointment, please be assured that it won’t be long now if you’re in one of the top priority groups.

“Please do not call your GP practice to book, they will contact you. If you are invited to book an appointment, we would encourage you to take this opportunity up. This is the best way to protect yourself from the virus.

“When you attend your appointment, you will need to follow social distancing guidance, bring and wear a face covering or visor, and follow hand hygiene guidance. These steps help to save lives.”

Shropshire Council is continuing to support the vaccination effort. Our Customer Services team have made over 5,000 calls to frontline healthcare staff and residents to support with booking vaccination appointments. We are also providing IT services to ensure that the county’s vaccination centres have all the necessary technology to deliver the biggest publish health programme Shropshire has ever seen.