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Feb 2021

Last Updated: 12/02/2021

Health

Tears of relief at Harrogate vaccination site

by Calvin Robinson

| 13 Feb, 2021

When the Great Yorkshire Showground vaccine site opened, those who were among the first to be vaccinated expressed relief and even shed tears. A GP described the early days of the site as "very emotional".

A patient receives a covid vaccine at the Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination site, which closed this month.

People have been left relieved, in tears and very emotional after receiving their first vaccinations at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

Dr Chris Preece, one of the GPs that helped to set up the site, told the Stray Ferret that some were left “very emotional” in the early days of the site.

It comes after health bosses confirmed this week that 175,000 first doses of the vaccine have been carried out across North Yorkshire and York so far.

Vaccinations are expected to move onto those over 65-years-old from next week.

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For those groups who were among the first to get their vaccines, Dr Preece said it was an emotional experience.

He said that for some, the staff and the volunteers were the first people they had seen “in months”.

Dr Preece said:

“It’s been really positive and really nice, from our point of view.

“The first couple of weeks especially was very emotional for some people. We have had tears and things like that as people came into the site.

“For a lot of people who come here, particularly in the first couple of cohorts, it’s the first time they’ve left their house for months and months.

“It’s been really emotional for a lot of those people who are coming in.”

Dr Preece said that emotion has been reflected in those working and volunteering at the site too.

He added:

“There’s a tangible feeling that we’re doing something important here.”

Among the first to get their vaccine at the showground was 83-year-old Anne, who thanked the health service and hoped it would make “her feel safe and will be the start of the end of isolation".

Others marked their vaccines in line with special occasions.

Chris and Joan Jackson, aged 81 and 80, went to the showground a week after their 60th wedding anniversary.

At the time, Chris told the Stray Ferret:

“It was a very easy process and we were done in 45 minutes. It was managed quite well.

“It was no different to the flu jab.”

The showground is set to carry on offering first doses to the remaining cohorts, as well as the second doses to those that have had their first jab and completed the 12-week wait.

Health bosses have urged any of those over-70 who have not been offered the vaccine to contact the NHS to book an appointment.

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