Covid vaccinations at Thanet’s Saga centre site from Kent Community Health Trust will resume on May 10.
The Trust put services at the mass centre ‘in hibernation’ this month due to a shortage in vaccine supplies. The building has continued to be used by Margate/Minster/Mocketts GP hub for their vaccination programme.
KCHT will restart second doses from May 10 and there will be a small number of appointments available on the national booking system for first doses too. This will be limited due to the national shortage in vaccine supply.
As supply increases, so will the number of appointments.
The GP hub surgeries have continued throughout this month for patients from Westgate Surgery, Minster Surgery, St Peter’s Surgery, Birchington Medical Practice, Broadstairs Medical Practice, Ash Surgery, The Limes Medical Centre, Northdown Surgery, Bethesda Medical Centre, Mocketts Wood Surgery. These patients are being called by their practices in line with vaccine supply.One drop in session earlier this month was also extended to patients at Ramsgate surgeries.
KCHT says all second doses of covid vaccine booked at one of the large vaccination centres are 100% guaranteed and is appealing for people to turn up for booked appointments.
A message from the Trust says: “Don’t be tempted to book an earlier slot elsewhere if you receive a text ‘just to be sure’ – this can cause waste at sites where your second vaccine is allocated and waiting for you.
“Latest studies also prove that a booster jab of AstraZeneca at 12 weeks or more offers improved protection from COVID-19 than one at less than 12 weeks.”
People aged 44 are being invited to book their covid-19 jab as from today (April 26).
Around half a million 44-year olds will receive a text inviting them to get their jab through the national booking service.
The move to the next age group comes alongside the latest figures showing that more than two thirds of people aged 45 to 49 had been vaccinated.
The decision to move to people aged 40-43 will be set out in the coming days with the NHS vaccinating in line with JCVI advice and as supply allows.
Since the vaccination rollout began in December, more than 28 million people have been vaccinated with a first dose in England, 63.8% of the total population of adults aged over 18.
NHS staff have also carried out more than ten million second doses
The NHS currently uses three vaccines, Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca, all of which have been approved as safe and effective by medical regulator the MHRA.
People who cannot go online can call the service on 119 instead to book their jab.
Text invitations appear as an alert from ‘NHSvaccine’, including a web link to the NHS website to reserve an appointment.
Figures from Kent & Medway NHS for the vaccination programme in the county show:
Vaccines given -1,198,387
First dose
over 80 years 93,912
75-79 years 71,290
70-74 years 97,441
65-69 years 90,234
60-64 years 102,414
55-59 years 117,855
50-54 years 117,249
45-49 years 64,227
Under 45 years 159,227
Second dose
over 80 years 79,304
75-79 years 48,600
70-74 years 36,972
65-69 years 14,572
60-64 years 14,541
55-59 years 16,737
50-54 years 15,688
45-49 years 13,350
Under 45 years 44,774
