Thousands of people across the county have now received their first dose of the vaccine. Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group is asking people to be patient and not contact their GP practice or hospital to request a vaccine. People will be contacted when it s their turn to receive it. NHS England data published on February 1 shows 918,897 people have had their first dose of the vaccine in the south west with 55,378 receiving their second. In Dorset, 53,960 people under the age of 80 had received their first dose up to January 24 with 48,206 of over 80s getting theirs. Meanwhile, 7,015 of over 80s in the county had received their second jab within the same period with 1,556 under the age of 80 having theirs.
The three new sites are the Sturminster Newton Medical Centre, The Digby Hall and the Whitecliff Surgery. Sites have been developed by primary care networks (groups of local GP practices) who have worked together to develop detailed plans to deliver Covid-19 vaccinations in their wider community locations. Primary care networks have been working round the clock to rapidly to redesign their sites and put in place safe processes to deliver vaccines. Dr Simone Yule, a GP and Clinical Director for the Blackmore Vale partnership, said “I am delighted and relieved that we can start the new year with such good news for people in north Dorset and am delighted that we can begin to offer those who are most at risk their vaccination to protect against Covid-19.
People aged 80 and over as well as care home workers will be amongst the first to receive the vaccine. Vaccinations are being delivered according to priority groups identified nationally by the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Dr Karen Kirkham, GP, Clinical lead for the Dorset Covid-19 vaccination programme, and Assistant Clinical Director of NHS Dorset CCG, said: “We understand that there is a lot of interest in the Covid-19 vaccination programme and would like to reassure everyone that we are working extremely hard to deliver vaccines in line with the national guidance, so those people who are most at risk get theirs first.