South Downs MP issues special thank-you to Covid vaccination heroes

The Arundel and South Downs MP visited three Covid vaccination centres last week to personally thank volunteers and medical staff and all those who took part.

Three quarters of all UK adults have now received both doses of their coronavirus vaccine - and three local centres played a huge part by delivering 89,000 doses.

The Glebe Surgery in Storrington administered 34,000 vaccinations, Pulborough Medical Group carried out 25,000 jabs and Angmering Vaccination Clinic carried out more than 30,000 doses.

Henfield Medical Centre also played a huge part and the MP said he plans to thank them on a future occasion, along with many clinics who have vaccinated local residents but which fall into different parliamentary constituencies.

During his visits, the MP met with GPs, vaccinators, community volunteers and clinical leaders to discuss the challenges of such a large scale and long running programme.

He also saw some of the first of the 16-17 cohort arriving to be vaccinated after the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recently advised that all 16 and 17 year olds should receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

The NHS has confirmed that they will contact those eligible directly but all vaccine centres are encouraging young people to come forward as soon as possible.

Andrew Griffith said: “It was a privilege to meet with vaccination heroes today. They have worked long hours and overcome unique challenges over many months now to achieve such a high level of vaccination across West Sussex.

“To meet the teams who’ve delivered getting on for 100,000 doses really is remarkable.

“All of the health professionals I met emphasised how important it is that anyone who has not yet had the vaccine including those aged 16 and 17 does so.

“It’s still a nasty virus which is hospitalising many.”