More than 25,000 vaccines completed at Newbury Racecourse centre

Clinicians work to reassure public that Oxford vaccine is safe

MORE than 25,000 people have now received their coronavirus vaccine at the Newbury Vaccination Centre, as clinicians reassure the public it is safe.

The milestone was reached at the weekend at the Newbury Racecourse hub, during four consecutive days of administering of the vaccine.

In a statement, the vaccination hub, which is being used by nine West Berkshire GP surgeries, said: “We are immensely proud of what our dedicated team of clinicians, staff and volunteers have achieved in the last eight weeks.”

The Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) this week moved to reassure the public about the safety of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, following concerns raised by European countries.

A spokeswoman said: “The Pfizer and Oxford vaccines are safe and effective against coronavirus.

“They have been through rigorous testing and are suitable for people from all cultures and backgrounds.

“Vaccinating as many people as we can is the most effective way of tackling this pandemic and eventually lifting lockdown.

“The good news is early signs suggest the success of the vaccination programme is contributing to the welcome fall in people in hospitals with coronavirus.”