People aged 45 and over are now eligible to book for their covid vaccine – but the nearest large scale centre to Thanet providing first jabs is in Chatham.
Local GP hubs are awaiting permission from HNS commissioners to start booking in the latest cohort. In Thanet GPs are using part of the Saga site for their clinics but Kent Community Health Trust has not resumed its mass vaccination programme at the site yet.
Kent and Medway NHS says: “Our five large vaccination centres will have limited appointments for first dose vaccinations in April. This is linked to national vaccine supply. It is a temporary position and appointments at all five sites will increase again as soon as supply allows.
“The Medway/Chatham centre will run first dose appointments through April subject to supply, available slots will show on the national booking service.
“Second dose appointments already booked are not affected and continue as planned.
“If you had a first dose at one of the large vaccination sites and have not yet booked your second dose appointment there are slots available via the national booking service
“If you are in an eligible group and cannot get a first dose appointment through the national service in April please contact your GP for local vaccine clinics.”
The national booking service cannot book appointments at local GP-run vaccination services or arrange housebound visits. These are being organised through the individual local services.
The vaccination drive across Kent and Medway continues with over 1 million jabs given up to 4 April. More than 889,000 of those are first doses. The number of people receiving the added protection from a second dose is also climbing significantly.
Kent and Medway latest data shows more than 87% of the top nine priority groups have been vaccinated with at least one dose. All nine priority groups have now reached 80% or over.
Cohorts 1-4 (over 70 years, health and care staff, care home residents): 92%
Cohort 5 (65-69 years): 90%
Cohort 6 (clinically vulnerable aged 16-64): 81%
Cohort 7 (60-64 years): 86%
Cohort 8 (55-59 years): 84%
Cohort 9 (50-54 years): 80%
Initial supplies of the now approved Moderna vaccine are being rolled out to parts of the UK although there is no set date for supplies in Kent and Medway.
The first Moderna jabs will be delivered in England today (April 13) in Reading and Sheffield.
For those aged 18-29 who are eligible for a jab, the Moderna vaccine provides an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
More than 27 million people in England have now received their first jab, with more than 6.1 million second jabs also being given.
Moderna can be stored for 30 days at normal fridge temperatures, but should it need to be stored for longer it can last for six months at -20C.
Along with Pfizer, it will be used by the NHS for some of the appointments rearranged for under 30s who were due to receive the AstraZeneca jab.
During April the NHS is focusing on second doses, but appointments are still available for those in the initial cohorts who have not yet been protected.
In Thanet the positive covid test rate per 100,000 people stands at 22.5 as of April 7. The UK rate is 28.7.
