‘The fightback is on’: Covid-19 vaccinations begin at Chesterfield’s historic Winding Wheel
and live on Freeview channel 276
On Thursday, the town’s iconic Winding Wheel theatre became Derbyshire’s latest Covid-19 vaccination site.
As reported on Wednesday, the Winding Wheel will initially carry out jabs for healthcare workers – while patient vaccinations will take place at the nearby Wheatbridge Surgery, which has a car park and is considered more accessible for elderly residents, from Saturday.
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Hide AdAmong the first to receive her initial dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the Winding Wheel was 25-year-old Chesterfield woman Abbie Turner, who looks after people with learning disabilities.
She said: “I feel wonderful to have had it.
“I get my second dose on April 1 and then I will have complete peace of mind that I won’t get this horrible virus.”
Chris Dunn, of Ripley, works at a residential children’s home – and celebrates his 48th birthday on Friday.
“The jab was a wonderful early birthday present,” he said.
“When you receive your call, I’d urge you to go and get your vaccine – this is how we will get out of this awful pandemic.”
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Hide AdCare co-ordinator Kieran Stammers, 24, of Newton, said he felt ‘really good’ after receiving his first dose of the vaccine.
“It’s been a tough year for everyone but now there’s definitely light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.
By February 15, the Government aims to have offered a first vaccine dose to everyone in the top four priority groups – care home residents and workers, NHS frontline staff, the over-70s and the extremely clinically vulnerable.
In Derbyshire, this equals around 240,000 people.
Ian Murray, site co-ordinator for Covid-19 centres, said staff were hoping to carry out 1,100 vaccinations at the Winding Wheel on Thursday and Friday.
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Hide AdHe said people who fall outside the top four priority groups will eventually be offered vaccinations at the Winding Wheel.
Mr Murray added: “We’ve secured the Winding Wheel as a vaccination site for at least six months.
“We hope to eventually deliver up to 3,000 vaccinations a day here.”
He thanked and praised everyone involved in the operation and added: “The fightback against coronavirus is well and truly on.”
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Hide AdCouncillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re delighted that the Covid-19 vaccination programme is being rolled out in Chesterfield.”