Doncaster on course to hit Government Covid vaccine target but it ‘will be tight’

Anthony Fitzgerald, one of the vaccine leads for Doncaster NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said supply and the changing Government guidance are the biggest challenges the borough face in the jab roll-out.

At a recent meeting, councillors heard that around 32,000 people had at least one jab but supply was ‘relatively limited’ as experienced across the country.

He said that Doncaster has 77,500 people in the top priority vaccine groups which are all those 70 years of age and over and the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’. The borough has a population of around 310,000.

Councillors heard that those who had second vaccine appointments cancelled will get their dose within 12 weeks of their first jab.

Along with Doncaster Royal Infirmary, the borough has five vaccine centres at leisure centres in Adwick, Mexborough, Thorne and the Keepmoat Stadium and Rutland House.

Doncaster residents in future could also be offered a jab at South Yorkshire’s major vaccine hub at Sheffield Arena but if people do not wish to travel, they will be offered a more local site.

“We’re escalating hourly and daily in terms of ensuring that we do have enough vaccines to meet our requirements,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

“My boss, Jackie (Pedersen, CCG chief officer) sits on the regional delivery of this programme, and I’m able to escalate to her accordingly to increase the vaccine.

“It’s gonna be a tight run thing, in my opinion on supply and supply base, given that we’ve only got three weeks to go. The assurance that I can give is that as soon as we get the vaccine, we are administering it, there’s no stock or storage anywhere in Doncaster.

“The second challenge has been the changing of guidance. So the original guidance for the Pfizer vaccine is the length of time between the first and second dose was three weeks and that changed to an hour 12 week period.

“You may have heard from some of your residents that they may have had their appointment cancelled and we had to deal with that accordingly.

“I’m sorry that people have gone through that sort of process, we try to handle it as much as possible. “

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.