More than 80% of over 80s in county now vaccinated

In Boston, the two main vaccination hubs – the Primary Care hub at the Sidings and the large vaccination centre at the Princess Royal Sports Arena – have been supported by a hard-working team of NHS staff, volunteers, and other public sector bodies.

Private firms have also been involved, providing equipment, food, and other essential items for the teams at the centres.

The two Boston Council run community testing centres have also been given a huge amount of help by redeployed council staff and other volunteers and support.

They have included redeployed council staff, such as the team from the Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre who have been working at both sites in the town and delivering 10,000 leaflets around the borough to let people know about the community testing sites.

Figures revealed last week show a total of 87,400 vaccinations have now been delivered in Lincolnshire.

Just over 37,000 were delivered to over 80s, with almost 48,000 further jabs given to the rest of the population.

The figures come as the county’s second large vaccination centre opened yesterday at Lincolnshire Showground.

Both large COVID-19 vaccination sites will continue to target vaccinating people in the key priority groups, specifically local residents aged over 70 who live within a 45-minute drive of the sites as well as residents in a care home for older adults and their carers; frontline health and social care workers; and the clinically extremely vulnerable.

Maz Fosh, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, the local NHS organisation responsible for the overall running of both large vaccination centres in the county said:

“The opening of the Lincolnshire Showground large vaccination site underlines the commitment of all local NHS organisations to deliver as many vaccinations as quickly as possible to those who need it most in our local community to help them get their lives back and see their loved ones.

“I’m incredibly proud of all our staff, volunteers and the help provided by local authorities through the Local Resilience Forum to make sure we were able to deliver this additional large vaccination site in such a short time frame.

“I have been touched by the stories shared by patients attending our Princess Royal site and the sense of relief that the vaccinations are now available, offering a path to freedom and their loved ones.

“I’d remind everyone who is vaccinated to continue to follow all the guidance to help the NHS, control the virus and save lives – that means staying at home as much as you can, and following the ‘hands, face, space’ guidance when you can’t.”

Plans to introduce a new roving vaccination service to offer jabs to the homeless and housebound members of the local community will be announced soon.