Prestonians to be invited to Blackpool Winter Gardens or Lancaster Town Hall to get their Covid-19 vaccination

Vaccination centres are set to open at Blackpool Winter Gardens and Lancaster Town Hall this week, along with additional community pharmacy sites.

Thousands of people aged 75 and over, and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable will be invited to book a vaccination at this new service, in addition to the service at Blackburn Cathedral.

Those who are eligible, live within a 45-minute drive from the vaccination site, and who have not already been vaccinated by their local GP-led vaccination service or hospital hub will receive letters this week from the NHS Covid-19 Vaccination Booking Service, explaining how to book.

Now more doses of the Covid-19 vaccines are available, the NHS is able to open more vaccination services in Lancashire and South Cumbria, including large vaccination centres and pharmacies.

Blackpool Winter Gardens and Lancaster Town Hall are among a number of large sites opening across Lancashire and South Cumbria in the coming weeks, which will offer a convenient alternative to GP and hospital services.

Preston is due to get a mass Covid vaccination centre in the coming weeks.

Bookings are staggered to allow for social distancing.

Director of Public Health and Wellbeing for Blackpool, Dr Arif Rajpura, said: “I am delighted the vaccination programme is gathering pace and the council can support by putting our venues to good use.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel through this vaccination programme. If you are invited to get vaccinated, please do make an appointment and attend. The more people we get vaccinated, the faster we can all get to some sort of normality.

“It is also important to remember that, even when vaccinated, it takes three weeks for that vaccination to become effective, and even then we need to remain cautious for a little longer and continue to follow all guidance on social distancing, wear a face covering, wash your hands and isolate.”

For more information on the Covid-19 vaccination programme, click here.

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