Covid-19 Pfizer vaccine rollout starts in West Berkshire
However surgeries express concern over logistics
THE Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination has arrived in West Berkshire – but some GP surgeries have said they won’t be offering it at this stage due to the logistical nightmare it represents.
There were long queues at Tilehurst Village Surgery on Tuesday as residents waited outside to be given the jab.
However, the Downland Practice in Chieveley – which is linked with the Strawberry Hill Medical Centre and Eastfield House GP practice in Newbury – has confirmed it won’t be giving vaccinations just yet.
The practice said it would be “impossible” to roll out the vaccine without shutting the surgery down to all other work.
The senior GP partner at The Downland Practice, Dr James Cave, said: “You will have read and heard that there are significant logistical issues with the vaccination produced by Pfizer.
“To give you an example we have calculated that to draw up and administer the vaccine safely and give it to our 80+ year olds, without expecting them to queue in the freezing cold, means we can vaccinate 23 people an hour at our practice site.
“We have been told we will have three-and-a-half days to give out 975 vaccinations before the vaccine spoils.
“This would mean having to offer 40 hours of clinics over that time. This would be impossible without shutting the practice to all other work.
“Over the weekend and again on Monday the practice studied and discussed how we might deliver the vaccination safely and at the same time not destabilise the practice’s everyday work.
“Unfortunately, the deadline for agreeing to do this work was midnight, Monday, December 7 and we have yet to find a solution.
“We have written to the NHS asking for more time to iron out a number of significant issues with them and are hopeful that over the coming days and weeks we will reach a satisfactory conclusion.
“Rest assured we are committed to you receiving your vaccination in a timely manner.”
Over the next couple of weeks, other GP practices will be joining forces and contacting patients to offer them the vaccination.
People are asked not to contact their GP surgery as you will be contacted when it is your turn to receive the vaccine.
Chairman of Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Dr Abid Irfan said on Tuesday: “Today marks a significant day in Berkshire West as we go live with our first GP-led services in the greatest vaccination programme ever undertaken by the NHS.
“It has been incredible to see the efforts of GP practices and teams across Berkshire West coming together to work collectively to prepare for today and I am proud of everyone who is involved.
“Whilst the vaccine offers our best defence against the virus, it’s important to remember that it doesn’t mean we can start to relax our attention to the hands, face, space regulations.
“I’d urge everyone to continue doing everything they can to comply with the Government’s rules and play their part in helping to keep themselves and their families safe.”
The vaccination is not recommended for anyone with a history of severe reactions or allergies, children (with some exceptions) and pregnant women.
Women should also not be vaccinated if they are planning a pregnancy within three months of the first dose.
If a woman becomes pregnant between her first and second dose of the vaccination then the second dose will be postponed until completion of the pregnancy.
