Councillor Roger Truelove.
Councillor Roger Truelove, leader of council, said:
“Yesterday I was pleased to pass on to members of the Council, Kent and Medway CCG’s plan to open a vaccination centre at the Age UK building in Sittingbourne Town centre. I understand appointments are already being offered to local residents, starting next week.
This will be a great relief to local people, many of whom have been contacting me in recent weeks concerned about the lack of any service in our town.
The NHS concern, here and elsewhere, was that the fragile Pfizer vaccine would have to be dispensed at one central site, not around several GP surgeries. Swale Borough Council met with the NHS before Christmas and a suitable site was agreed and a prospective start date. As a Council we have been anxious to inform the public, to allay their natural anxiety.
We have been continually pressing for progress as has the local MP. However, the NHS have put an embargo on information until all aspects of the arrangements were fully confirmed.
In due course, the Astra/Zeneca Oxford vaccine will come on stream and this can be administered at a number of sites, so we look forward to acceleration as the Government seeks to reach its ambitious target. The management of this, including the commissioning of sites, will be in the hands of the NHS.”
Swale Borough Council
