The first patients in Peterborough received the Pfizer vaccine yesterday (December 8) at Peterborough City Hospital, which has been nominated as a vaccine hub.
The first in line to receive the vaccine are those in the most vulnerable groups and they have received a letter confirming their appointment and asking them to phone a special hotline.
The Peterborough Telegraph has been contacted by a number of residents though who are struggling to get connected or being left on hold for long periods of time.
A spokesperson for Peterborough City Hospital said: “Please be aware that our Covid-19 Vaccine booking line is currently experiencing a high number of calls. Our teams are working hard to answer your calls as quickly as possible, however, if you are struggling to get through, please try again later and thank you for your patience.
“Please note that the booking line is only open to those who have been directly contacted by our vaccination team.”
The first patients were given the new vaccine in Peterborough yesterday (December 8).
Dr Kanchan Rege, Chief Medical Officer for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are really proud and excited to be such an integral part of delivering the national vaccination programme.
“We know that vaccinating the country is a monumental task and we will be taking advice and guidance with regards to priority groups and implementing any new guidance that arises.
“We ask all of our patients, visitors and staff to remember how important it is to remain vigilant and to protect themselves and each other. This is a marathon and not a sprint and it is imperative that we continue with all of the protective measures we have in place to help prevent the spread of the virus.”
Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “Despite the huge complexities, hospitals will kickstart the first phase of the largest scale vaccination campaign in our country’s history from Tuesday. The first tranche of vaccine deliveries will be landing at hospitals by Monday in readiness.
“The NHS has a strong record of delivering large scale vaccination programmes – from the flu jab, HPV vaccine and lifesaving MMR jabs – hardworking staff will once again rise to the challenge to protect the most vulnerable people from this awful disease.”
The life-saving vaccine is typically delivered by a simple injection in the shoulder but there is a complex and difficult logistical challenge to deliver from the manufacturers Pfizer to patients. It needs to be stored at -70C before being thawed out and can only be moved four times within that cold chain before being used.
NHS staff have been working over the weekend to prepare the sites and accept deliveries. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “This coming week will be an historic moment as we begin vaccination against COVID-19.
“We are prioritising the most vulnerable first and over-80s, care home staff and NHS colleagues will all be among the first to receive the vaccines.
“We are doing everything we can to make sure we can overcome significant challenges to vaccinate care home residents as soon as possible too.
“I urge everybody to play their part to suppress this virus and follow the local restrictions to protect the NHS while they carry out this crucial work.”
