The NHS has launched two large scale Covid-19 vaccination centres in Huntingdon and Wisbech this week as part of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history.

The Huntingdon centre will be located at: The Oak Tree Centre, 1 Oak Drive, Huntingdon PE29 7HN from Monday, February 1.

The centres provide an additional option to the large scale vaccination centre in the Grafton Shopping Centre Cambridge and the vaccination hubs already successfully delivering vaccinations in local hospitals and by GPs across the county.

Dr David Vickers, medical director for Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, the organisation co-ordinating the vaccine delivery in Cambridgeshire, said: "We are delighted to be launching large scale vaccination centres in Huntingdon and Wisbech. Further centres will roll out in the coming weeks."

He continued: “The centres are capable of delivering thousands of vaccines in the coming weeks and will provide a major boost to our plans to offer protection to those who would benefit most as quickly as possible."

Letters are being sent out by the national booking service to people in the priority groups as determined by the national Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) who live up to a 45 minute drive from the centres, inviting them to book an appointment at their closest centre either online or over the phone.

Those who receive a letter are encouraged to book an appointment as soon as they receive it.

Dr Gary Howsam, the chairman of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group, and a local GP, added: “NHS staff are doing an incredible job to deliver what it is the largest vaccination programme in our history, at the same time as providing vital services for people who need our care.

“Please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine; we will contact you. When you are contacted, please attend your booked appointment. Appointments are staggered to allow for social distancing and people are urged not to turn up early to avoid queues.

“It is vital that you do not attend the Oak Tree Centre or the Horsefair Shopping Centre, Wisbech, vaccination centres if you do not have an appointment as you will not be able to receive a vaccination.”

“I urge people across Cambridgeshire to continue following all the guidance to control the virus and save lives – that means staying at home as much as you can, and always remembering ‘hands, face and space’.”