Second covid-19 community vaccination site to open

The borough’s second community vaccination centre is set to open in Heywood on Tuesday 29 December.

The site, at the Phoenix Centre in Church Street, Heywood, will administer Covid-19 vaccinations to eligible residents as part of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history.

Local people aged 80 and over as well as people who work in care homes and health care workers will be invited to attend for their vaccination appointment at the centre, which will operate every day between 8am and 6pm when vaccinations are taking place.

When it is your turn to receive the vaccine you will be contacted by Rochdale Health Alliance or your GP surgery. If you're not registered with a GP, you will need to register with one.

You must have an appointment to receive the vaccine. You cannot just turn up at one of the vaccination service centres.

The Heywood site follows from the opening of the first community site at the Number One Riverside building in Rochdale town centre, which has already seen 2,000 people from across the borough vaccinated since it opened its doors on Wednesday 16 December.

 

 

Clinically-trained staff will be providing the vaccinations in the Phoenix Centre in a safe environment and all the necessary instructions will be given to patients in the letter or telephone call inviting them to attend.

Councillor Daalat Ali, the council’s cabinet member for public health, said: “This is great news for Heywood residents and another positive step forward in our programme to vaccinate residents across the borough. We have already given thousands of older people and health workers their first dose at our Number One Riverside site and this will continue over the coming weeks. We will be in touch with you to confirm your appointment and you need to book a second appointment after your first dose.

“With vaccination centres in place at Rochdale and Heywood, we hope to announce details for the Middleton site shortly. There is light at the end of the tunnel in our ongoing fight against coronavirus, but I need to emphasise that everyone needs to continue following the rules to protect each other and our health services.”

 

 

Local GP, Dr Chris Duffy, said: “It’s a historic and positive day for Heywood that we can, at last, vaccinate our most vulnerable residents against this damaging virus. GPs and our teams are delivering the Covid-19 vaccination programme in the community whilst also delivering the expanded flu vaccine programme and the usual care and services our patients rely on us for. Patients will be contacted and invited for vaccination - we would urge them not to contact their GP practice enquiring about vaccinations, as we will contact them.”

You can find out more information here rochdale.gov.uk/covidvaccine