Asda vaccinates its first patient in store and launches second virus jab centre

Leeds-based Asda has worked in partnership with the NHS to become the first supermarket in the country to provide in-store Covid vaccinations, with trained pharmacy colleagues delivering 240 jabs per day at Cape Hill, to priority groups selected by the NHS.

The patients name was Harbans Kaur, aged 78, from Smethwick, Ms. Kaur was the first patient to receive the Covid vaccine at an Asda vaccination centre.

The supermarket has transformed the George clothing department at the store to accommodate the vaccination centre, which will operate from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.

No details regarding a Yorkshire store providing vaccinations have been revealed as yet.

Asda is also stepping up its support for the NHS vaccination programme by transforming the George section of its Watford superstore – creating a much larger space that has the capacity to deliver 3,500 vaccines a week. The supermarket is currently working to repurpose the space ready for its pharmacy colleagues to start providing vaccines to patients identified by the NHS the week commencing February 1.

Faisal Tuddy, Asda Superintendent Pharmacist, said: “We are incredibly proud to be the first supermarket pharmacy to administer the vaccine and to play our part in helping the NHS roll outs its vaccination programme.

“Many of the people who will attend the store today have been shielding at home for months and we hope receiving the vaccine is the first step towards a return to normality for them.

“We are also stepping up our support for the NHS by opening a second in-store vaccination centre next week and have offered all of our 254 in-store pharmacies across the UK, along with our logistics network, to help with the roll out.”