Medical director is delighted with vaccine roll out at Huntingdon

The Oak Tree Centre in Huntingdon was one of the two large scale Covid-19 vaccination centres to open at the start of the week; second one is in Wisbech.

Dr David Vickers, medical director of Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, has been overseeing the vaccination roll out at Oak Tree Centre.

He said: “It is really good to be here, the first day went really well, it is a nice place to be because you have a really well thought through system.

“We have a separate entrance and exit, so people can come in, be checked in, be clinically assessed and then move on to the vaccination and then we have a little waiting area for people for them to stay 15 minutes after they have their vaccine, as we advise people not to drive for 15 minutes after receiving their vaccine.

“There is a reasonable amount of parking outside, we haven't had any major issues with parking.

“People who have come here have been quite happy with it and it has been a quick process.”

Dr Vickers wanted to stress, that people do not need to turn up early for their appointment.

He said: “If you are early it is best to wait in your car and then come in at the time you are booked for.

“We will absolutely not turn people away and if you are stuck in traffic or something or running late, don’t worry about it.

“Because we will vaccinate people who have a booked appointment.”

The Oak Tree Centre has been vaccinating the 70-80 age category; the clinically extremely vulnerable and care and frontline staff this week.

David also encouraged people to not wait if they have been invited to receive the vaccination.

Dr Vickers said: “We are going to be opening up more centres as the weeks go on and if you have the opportunity to book, you should take that opportunity up, please don’t wait, if you think there might be something more local, the reason you have been offered a vaccination is because you are in one of the more clinically vulnerable groups.”