Still no Covid vaccine centre for Sleaford area

The pledge by Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been that vaccination centres will be within 10 miles of most people in the country by the end of the month, along with large scale vaccination hubs in key areas of population plus over 200 hospital sites and mobile teams visiting housebound residents in their own home.

However, the additional five GP-run sites in Skegness, Lincoln, Spalding, Gainsborough and Mablethorpe leave key areas still more than 10 miles away. these include Sleaford, Ruskington, Heckington, Wragby, Tattershall and Market Rasen, making it harder for older and vulnerable residents to get transport to a site, or wait until more centres are opened up later.

As well as the two hospital sites in Lincoln and Boston, eight GP network vaccine centres were already in operation at Louth Community Hospital, Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham, Waddington Branch Surgery, St Marys Medical Practice, Stamford, Franklin Hall, Spilsby, Sidings Medical Practice, Boston, Rustons Sports and Social Club, Lincoln and Portland Medical Practice, Lincoln.

Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which represents the county’s GPs, added: “The launch of these further five sites is a significant milestone for Lincolnshire. The next steps for the county’s NHS is to roll out the programme further through two large vaccination sites and a roving service across the county. The NHS will continue to keep the public updated as these further sites and vaccination services become available.

“The vaccination services in Lincolnshire, as in the rest of the country, are focused on delivering the vaccines to the key priority groups (residents in a care home for older adults and their carers, those aged 70 and over, frontline health and social care workers and the clinically extremely vulnerable) to ensure that we are able to meet the targets set by the government.”

Coun Richard Wright, Leader of North Kesteven District Council and a ward councillor for Ruskington, commented: “We are of course very grateful for the work that is ongoing in respect of developing and delivery of the vaccines and as local authorities we stand ready to assist in any way we can.

“It is right that as Council Leaders we ask for more detail of the rollout plan, to have the certainty and assurance that North Kesteven and Lincolnshire are well provided for, with a programme behind it; which delivers confidence and clarity for our residents.

“I think that we all appreciate what we have heard nationally about the prioritisation for the over 80s, those who are resident and working in care homes, front-line health care staff and then 75-year-olds, 70-year olds and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals in turn. Also the need to wait to be invited for vaccination as the list is systematically gone through.

“I share with residents the certainty that there is a programme and there is a plan; that the vaccination process is up to speed and that they will be invited. What I and my colleagues are asking for is just a bit more clarity on how that looks locally.”

NHS leaders have also revealed that some parts of the country are getting through the priority lists more quickly than others, meaning they are pausing to allow other areas to catch up and prevent an unfair imbalance in supply of the vaccine.

At a parish council meeting on Tuesday, Leader of the county council, Martin Hill said he understood that as much as 30 per cent of the over 80s in the county could have been vaccinated by the end of this week, with NHS and care workers by the end of the month.

He said: “Most older people will have friends or neighbours who can drive them if they have issues getting about on their own.

“We are aware that some things have been a bit bumpy and could have been done quite a lot better, but vaccinations seem to be going well and on time. Incidents of infection are lower than many parts of the country. There is a bit of the new Covid variant in Lincolnshire but not a huge amount.”

He advised people to wait for an invitation to go for a jab, do not ring your GP as that could clog up the system.