The Mass Vaccination Centre (MVC) at the Lincolnshire Showground has now given 50,000 vaccinations, a significant milestone and contribution to Lincolnshire’s covid vaccination programme.
Since launching at the beginning of this year, the team at the Showground MVC have worked tirelessly to support the rollout of vaccinations in the county and operate one of the largest vaccination sites in the midlands, along with their counterparts at PRSA, Boston.
“From the beginning when we were vaccinating people over the age of 80 to the point we’re at now, it has been a journey,” explains Terry Vine, Clinical and Operational Lead for the Lincolnshire Showground Mass Vaccination Centre. “It has been enormously exciting to be a key part of Lincolnshire’s rollout of the vaccine, along with our colleagues and friends at PRSA, and at the Primary Care Network/GP-run sites across the county.”
The MVC at the Showground and PRSA are the two Mass Vaccination Centres that people in Lincolnshire can opt to attend for their vaccination if they chose to book in via the National Booking Service or by telephoning 119. Alternatively people have the option to be vaccinated at one of the local sites run by Lincolnshire’s Primary Care Networks and GP practices.
“It has been a team effort across the county and we had to mobilise the sites across the county, including the Showground MVC, unbelievably quickly in the beginning,” adds Terry. “To be honest, none of us involved have ever known anything like it and the fact that we’ve given so many vaccinations across the county, including 50,000 here at the Showground, is testament to the effort, dedication and sheer hard work of so many people.”
Since launching the vaccination programme at the end of 2020, Lincolnshire’s two Mass Vaccination Centres and 13 PCN-run local sites have successfully navigated through the first nine cohorts of people to be vaccinated (everyone aged 50 and over) and are now busy vaccinating people aged 40 and over (cohort 10), as well as providing second doses of the vaccination.
“It has been immensely hard work but at the same hugely rewarding being able to be a part in the vaccination roll out, during a time that has been so difficult for all of us,” adds Terry. “But as I said, it has been a team effort and I would like to acknowledge and place on record my thanks to my team here at the Showground. From vaccinators to volunteers and everyone in between, they have been magnificent.”
For more information on the covid vaccination programme in Lincolnshire visit www.lincolnshire.nhs.uk/covid/how-do-i-get-my-vaccination
