Doncaster starts its roll-out of second vaccination doses -- and officials admit it will be 'tight'

Director of strategy and delivery Fitzgerald of Doncaster NHS Clinical Commissioning Group told members of its board of governors that the second jabs were now starting – but said he coul not dey that out alongside the continuing first doses for others would be ‘tight’.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “About 100,000 people have received their first dose of vaccine in Doncaster now, which is incredible for something that only started on December 15.

“That includes the vast majority of the top four cohorts and as of this week, we moved into second doses for this cohort of people.

“We’re now moving into the next phase of the vaccination programme and by mid-April all residents over 50s and clinically vulnerable adults will have been offered a first dose.

“All adults are expected to have been vaccinated by the end of July.

"We are confident, especially now we’re more sure of supply into Doncaster, which will ramp up significantly after March 15.

He added he wanted to acknowledge the hard work that has gone onto the roll out by NHS teams and volunteers.

Dr David Crichton, the CCG chairman, said the adult population of Doncaster was around 240,000, so the number of patients vaccinated was over a third and moving towards a half of the borough’s population

Board member Paul Wilkin asked if the roll out of second vaccines would affect the ability to continue the roll out of first doses.

Mr Fitzgerald said: “We’ve done the modelling and we can do both. I’m not going to pretend it's not going to be tight but we’re updating the model all the time to ensure the booking system and capacity is in place to roll it out.

Mr Fitzgerald also explained that work had been done to get hard to reach groups vaccinated.

He said: “We’re really pleased with some of the activity around engaging communities around take up of the vaccination.

“We created a working party to concentrate on this with some national funding.

"So far we’ve vaccinated 100 members of the complex lives community and displaced people.

“We have also done some work around vaccines in places of worship.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.