This week sees the NHS embark on its largest ever immunisation programme as COVID-19 vaccinations start in 50 hub hospitals across England – this started yesterday 8th December.
The Churchill Hospital at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust has been selected as one of the hubs to roll out the vaccination programme in the initial wave, with the first vaccinations taking place today (Tuesday 8 December). This hub will serve residents across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and West Berkshire in the first instance.
The vaccine will be given first to those people from each county who are either most at risk or need it because of the work they do. In this initial phase, vaccinations will be prioritised for those aged 80 and over, care home workers, and healthcare workers who are at higher risk. The prioritisation has been set nationally by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
We are working closely with our NHS partners and care home providers to ensure that arrangements are in place to start delivering the vaccination programme to care workers as soon as possible.
The advent of a safe and effective vaccine is a landmark moment in the fight against COVID-19, and the fact that the Churchill Hospital has been chosen as one of the first hubs to deliver the vaccination programme is a matter of immense pride for Oxfordshire.
In the coming weeks, more hospitals will start vaccinating as the programme ramps up. GPs and other primary care staff are also preparing to start delivering vaccinations, with planning underway for a number of vaccination sites in Oxfordshire. Vaccination centres treating large numbers of people in sporting venues and conference centres will subsequently stand up across the country when further supplies of vaccine come on stream.
We look forward to seeing Oxfordshire residents being vaccinated through the priority groups, starting in 2020 and continuing throughout the first few months of 2021, and we will continue to update you as this major programme progresses.