End of an era as Mass Vaccination Centre closes

After more than a year in operation, the Mass Vaccination Centre at the Lincolnshire Showground is preparing to give its last covid vaccinations and shut its doors.
Covid-19 vaccineCovid-19 vaccine
Covid-19 vaccine

Since it opened in early 2021, the site at the Lincolnshire Showground – one of two Mass Vaccination Centres in Lincolnshire with the other in Boston - has played a major part in the county’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.

Rebecca Neno, Director of Covid and Influenza Vaccination Programmes, NHS Lincolnshire CCG, said: “What the team at the Showground have achieved is truly phenomenal and I want to thank all of them who have been involved over the last year or so for making such a difference to the lives of so many people.

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“The closure of the site at the Showground is testament to the success of the covid vaccination programme and the support shown for it by Lincolnshire people. It also reflects the return to some kind of life as normal, although the NHS in the county will maintain its capacity to offer covid vaccinations both locally in Lincoln and around the county, to ensure that everybody who is eligible for and wants a covid vaccination can get one.”

Although covid case numbers are currently falling, the experience of the last two years suggests they could rise again.

“This is why, in addition to maintaining the appropriate capacity to vaccinate, we also need to have the agility to respond to changing case numbers,” explained Rebecca.

“Whilst our fixed vaccination sites will continue to play an important role, being able to set up pop-up vaccination sessions at short notice will also remain key and many of our team from the Showground will support these sessions and other vaccination sites going forwards.

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“Not only do pop-up sessions allow us to focus on specific areas and take the vaccinations out to people, our experience of running them over the last year or so suggests that people like the flexibility of being able to choose to turn up without an appointment and get vaccinated.

“So pop-ups will remain a key part of what we offer, and you can get more details on the pop-ups we’re running, as well as other useful information about the vaccination programme in Lincolnshire, from our website at www.lincolnshireccg.nhs.uk/grabajab.

“On the other hand if you would prefer to have the certainty of booking an appointment for your covid vaccination at our other sites, you can still do this by calling 119.”

The vaccination teams will be running pop-up walk-in sessions at the below locations:

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Friday 29th April at Bud Robinson Community Centre, Maple Street, Bracebridge, Lincoln LN5 8QS, between 10am and 4pm – spring boosters for people aged 75 and over, plus vaccinations for anyone eligible aged 16 and over.

Sunday 1st May at Johnson Community Hospital, Spalding Road, Pinchbeck, Spalding PE11 3DT, between 10am and 4pm for 5-11 year-olds.

Wednesday 4th May at Billingborough Village Hall, Chapel Street, Billingborough NG34 0QH, between 10am and 4pm for spring boosters for people aged 75 and over, plus vaccinations for anyone eligible aged 16 and over.

Friday 6th May at The Venue, Grantham Road, Navenby LN5 0JJ, between 10am and 4pm for spring boosters for people aged 75 and over, plus vaccinations for anyone eligible aged 16 and over.