York’s pride over vaccine centre on milestone day – Professor Mike Holmes

AS we near a key milestone of 10 million adults vaccinated against Covid, we should be immensely proud of the teams who have made this happen.

To be part of the largest vaccination programme the NHS has ever seen is a huge privilege. It’s also a huge responsibility.

As we step up the numbers of people coming through the many vaccination sites – small and large – I want to thank every one of the people behind each and every one of these 10m jabs.

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Putting this into context, last winter the NHS vaccinated around 14 million adults and children against flu in the UK.

Frederick Durber receives the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, admininstered by Chief Pharmacist Richard Harrison, at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.Frederick Durber receives the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, admininstered by Chief Pharmacist Richard Harrison, at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.
Frederick Durber receives the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, admininstered by Chief Pharmacist Richard Harrison, at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.

Each year the flu vaccination programme has been a challenge. We know the vaccine is safe. We know it helps protect people. But in past years not everyone was always keen to come to the clinics and make time to get their jab.

So, the Covid vaccination programme is unique. We all want to get protection from this virus which has had such an impact on our lives. At the York Vaccination Centre we are doing our best to protect as many people as we can with over 2,000 people coming here each day.

From the person who opens up the car park at 7.30am to the person who prints out the invitation letters, to the person who answers the help desk or phone line. Every person matters and every person is part of this achievement.

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As long as we continue to get the vaccine, we will continue to offer it to our patients.

A member of the military provides assistance in the vaccination centre at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.A member of the military provides assistance in the vaccination centre at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.
A member of the military provides assistance in the vaccination centre at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.

We are clear about the benefits and the reasons we are doing this – we won’t rest until every single eligible adult is protected as much as possible.

No one will be forgotten. The GP surgery phone lines have been inundated by people ringing to ask when they can get the vaccine. How will we know they are vulnerable? How will we know they are a carer? How do we know they are housebound and can’t travel for their vaccine?

It’s understandable. Everyone is anxious and ready to move on from the lockdown restrictions. Everyone wants to know when this will end and when they can see and hug their loved ones again. Please be reassured, they will be contacted when it’s their turn.

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Not only are we running a clinical service for patients, we are also running 
a logistical operation. Making sure enough vaccinators are on duty at the right time. Making sure the car parking flow is right and the toilets have been cleaned.

General view as traffic is directed at the vaccination centre at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.General view as traffic is directed at the vaccination centre at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.
General view as traffic is directed at the vaccination centre at Askham Bar park-and-ride in York.

We need to be there to check the vaccines arrive and they are stored correctly. We also need to look after the people who look after you.

It’s been a long and difficult year for everyone with no real sign of let up yet. This week we’ve remembered that it is exactly one year since the first cases of coronavirus in the UK were identified in York – my home town.

If we are to get through this together then respect, kindness and empathy seem even more important than ever before.

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Emotions can run high and people 
can behave and say things that seem out of step with what is going on. Staff are under huge pressure too. I completely get it.

The efforts of every vaccination team right across our region has brought encouraging news. The latest figures on Thursday last week showed that we’d vaccinated well over one million people in our region so far and across the North East and Yorkshire we’d vaccinated the highest percentage of our over-80s priority group than any other region in England.

This is a fantastic achievement and is something to be very proud of.

We aim to keep going at this rate, as long as the vaccine is delivered to us in York. Each day we are learning and improving.

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The vast majority of our patients 
come in and out of the vaccination 
centre within 30 minutes and leave with a smile on their face. That is one of the reasons healthcare is such a fulfilling profession.

In addition, we will soon begin to call on patients to come and have their second dose of the vaccine. Those patients who had their first jab in December will be offered their second jab from March.

So, let’s keep up this positive momentum and goodwill. At the end of the day we’re all human beings with human feelings. There’s a mammoth job to be done and every single one of us has an important role to play.

Professor Mike Holmes is clinical lead at the York NHS Vaccination Centre.

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