TWO vaccination buses are to take to the road again in a bid to encourage more people to get their Covid-19 jab and boost low vaccination numbers across Middlesbrough.
The mobile bus clinics aim to offer improved access for people who may have found it difficult to get to a designated vaccination site, and have the capacity to provide up to 500 vaccinations a day.
Just over 68 percent of people in the Boro, over the age of 18, who are eligible for the vaccine have had both jabs – one of the lowest uptake rates in the whole of the region.
The buses, run by health staff from Central Middlesbrough Primary Care Network (PCN), will make two stops at the following locations:
- Wednesday 15th September, Acklam Green Centre, Stainsby Road, TS5 4JS,
10am – 6pm
- Tuesday 21st September, Centre Square, TS1 2AZ, 10am – 6pm
Anyone over the age of 16 is invited to come along for their first or second Pfizer vaccination.
It must be a minimum of eight weeks between first and second doses and a team of immunisers and support staff from Middlesbrough Council’s Public Health Team will be on hand to answer questions or address any issues of vaccine hesitancy at each venue.
Dr Vaishali Nanda, clinical director, Central Middlesbrough PCN, executive GP, Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and GP partner, The Discovery Practice, said: “Our mobile clinics help to bring the vaccine as close to people in the borough as we possibly can.
“Our challenge is to ensure that everyone eligible is offered a jab quickly and conveniently and that we encourage as many people as possible to get fully protected to prevent them from becoming seriously ill with coronavirus.”
South Tees joint director of Public Health, Mark Adams, said: “Colleagues from the NHS have been working flat out with the support of volunteers and Council staff to offer as many opportunities as possible for people to come forward.
“Covid infection rates in Middlesbrough are still high, so we must continue to do all we can to get everyone double jabbed. By being vaccinated you’re protecting yourself but also those more vulnerable to serious illness. “These two locations have proved successful in the past. I’d urge anyone who is undecided to come along and talk through their concerns with staff.”