A GP practice in Portishead now has approval to give patients the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
Harbourside Family Practice staff are ‘delighted’ to be able to administer this coronavirus vaccine at the surgery premises.
The practice, in Haven View, held its first trial clinic on February 5, which was ‘very successful’.
Staff now have a further 360 patients booked in for their first jabs at the practice’s next clinic tomorrow (Saturday).
GP partner, Dr Fiona Allinson, said: “Our team have worked extremely hard to get patients booked into appointments so that we can administer these life-saving vaccinations to as many people in Portishead as quickly as possible.
“Up until now, we have been working together with other local practices to deliver clinics from the designated vaccination centre in Portishead, so we are thrilled that our staff will be able to offer patients their jabs in their own practice.”
Harbourside Family Practice is aiming to vaccinate all patients over the age of 70 or those classed as clinically extremely vulnerable by mid-February.
The practice will be contacting patients by telephone or text message to invite them to receive a vaccination and ask that patients wait to be contacted rather than getting in touch.
Practice manager, Fran Upshon, welcomes the news.
She said: “The practice team have been working so hard to move through the priority cohorts as quickly as possible.
“One hundred per cent of our care home residents and nearly 100 per cent of our housebound patients have been given their first vaccinations. More than 91 per cent of patients aged over 75 have received their first doses as well.
“Our patients have been really appreciative of the efforts of our staff going out into the community to administer these vaccinations.”
In the UK, the NHS is currently offering the Covid-19 vaccine to people most at risk from coronavirus.
People aged 70 and over, those who are at high risk from coronavirus - clinically extremely vulnerable – as well as people who live or work in care homes and health and social care workers are currently receiving the coronavirus vaccine.
For more information about the coronavirus vaccine, log-on to https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-vaccine/
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