Praise for South Tyneside vaccine teams after 64,000 people given covid vaccinations in borough

South Tyneside Council Leader Cllr Tracey Dixon visits the Covid-19 Vaccination Hub at Cleadon Park Primary Care Centre, South Shields, with site co-ordinator Michelle Rodgers.

More than 64,000 local people have had at least one dose of the vaccine in the borough, with many in the most vulnerable groups now receiving invitations for their second dose.

Leader of South Tyneside Council, Councillor Tracey Dixon, has praised the work of health staff and volunteers as half of the borough’s adult population has been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Councillor Dixon saw for herself the roll-out of the vaccine at Cleadon Park Vaccination Hub.

“It has taken a monumental effort to get our most at-risk people vaccinated in such a short space of time,” she said.

“The fact that this mammoth task has been achieved is due in so small measure to our wonderful NHS staff and our fantastic army of volunteers who are helping the roll-out be delivered so smoothly.”

Cllr Dixon added: “It is great to see so many people here to receive their vaccine. I would urge anyone who has already been contacted by the NHS or their doctor to take up the opportunity without delay.”

The vaccine hubs are operating in South Tyneside at Cleadon Park, Flagg Court in South Shields and The Glen in Hebburn.

Patients from the borough have also had jabs at mass vaccination centres in Sunderland’s Nightingale hospital and Newcastle’s Centre for Life.

Teams of pharmacists have also been administering vaccines in people’s homes for those who are housebound and their carers.

Matt Brown, executive director of operations at NHS South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), spoke on the halfway vaccine milestone for the borough at a meeting earlier in March 2020.

He said: “It’s been such a tough year in so many ways, but the vaccine effort really is shining a light for the future and giving us all hope.

“We have reached more people than we could possibly have hoped for at this point. Many, many lives have been saved, thanks to the incredible work of practice staff, vaccinators, volunteers and everyone who has rallied round to help.”

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