The NHS launches a new large scale Covid-19 vaccination centre at the Priory Centre, in St Neots, today (Friday).

The centre provides an additional option to the Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust large scale vaccination centres already delivering vaccines at the Grafton Shopping Centre Cambridge; the City Care Centre Peterborough; the Oak Tree Centre Huntingdon; the Horsefair Shopping Centre Wisbech; the Indoor Bowls Centre Cambridge; and the East of England Showground.

Dr David Vickers, Medical Director, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust which is co-ordinating delivery of the large vaccination centres across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said:

"We are delighted to be launching an additional large vaccination centre at the Priory Centre in St Neots.

“The centres are capable of delivering thousands of vaccines a week and provide a major boost to our plans to offer protection to those who would benefit most as quickly as possible.

“We’d like to say an enormous thank you to our amazing staff and volunteers for their incredible hard work, and also to colleagues at the Priory Centre and St Neots Town Council for letting us use their premises for this vital vaccination programme.”

People aged 64 and over can now book a vaccination by going online at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination. Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.

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

“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 vaccination centres if you do not have an appointment as you will not be able to receive a vaccination.”

“I urge people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough 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’.”