“There are 47,000 people across North Yorkshire over the age of 50 who have yet to be vaccinated, many who are still trying to get appointments.“We also have health and social care employees who are still needing to be vaccinated, yet we have had nearly 450 no shows at just three clinics in the last week.“Please, please do the right thing and cancel any appointments for vaccinations if you choose not to be vaccinated or have been vaccinated elsewhere.“Go online or ring 119. Not only does it slow the vaccination programme down and prevent us from vaccinating other people but there are people giving up their time to deliver this service in the community. Don’t waste their time.”
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“We have a team of over 100 people supporting our vaccination centre, giving up many hours and working long shifts to support the community and help us all try get back to normality.“Our achievement is amazing and the team effort and comradery is truly amazing.”
“We need these appointments for patients within our community who are struggling to get a vaccination.“Please, please cancel your appointment if you are not planning on attending.”
“Please be considerate of others who are desperately trying to get appointments in the area.”
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Knaresborough vaccine site prepares to give 10,000 jabs a week
The company running Knaresborough’s new vaccination centre plans to administer 10,000 jabs a week from next month and create a “carnival atmosphere”.
The centre, which is run by Knaresborough-based Homecare Pharmacy Services, is made up of two modular units at the old Lidl site on York Road.
During Saturday’s opening day, which started at 8.30am and finished at 8.30pm, pharmacy staff got the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab in the arms of 850 people.
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However, many people turned up too early on the opening day, causing delays, and the company hopes that when such teething problems are overcome it will be able to inoculate more than 1,400 people a day.
That ambitious target is only just a little behind the mass vaccination site at the Great Yorkshire Showgrouund in Harrogate, which currently gives out 1,800 vaccines a day.
Homecare Pharmacy Services has urged people to turn up only a maximum of 5 minutes early and to also bring their NHS numbers to help speed up the process.
It was a sunny and warm day on Saturday for people queueing but the weather could easily worsen. Pharmacy boss Jason Baskind told the Stray Ferret about his plans to keep spirits up:
“We would like to create a bit of a carnival atmosphere for those waiting. We will of course control social distancing but we want some entertainment in the car park.
“The town choir and other musicians will come to the vaccine centre and hopefully that takes attention away from the queueing.
“We are told that vaccine supply will improve significantly by the end of March so by April we hope to be open every day and give out 10,000 jabs a week.”