Ace! Covid jab comes to Exmouth tennis centre

But you need to be invited, love

An East Devon tennis club and South Devon conference centre are among the locations in Devon dishing out the coronavirus vaccine from Tuesday as the jabs start being extended into the community.

GP practices are running vaccination centres across the county, open in phases over coming weeks. Eight sites serving 49 of the county’s practices are being established, but people are reminded they should not contact their practice or hospital to ask about an appointment – the NHS will contact you when it’s your turn.

Exmouth Tennis and Fitness Centre and the Riviera International Centre in Torquay are among the locations that are not within established health centres. The eight locations in the first phase are:

•  Exmouth Tennis and Fitness Centre
• Limes Surgery, Exminster
• Okehampton Medical Centre
• Riviera International Centre, Torquay
• St Boniface House, near Buckfastleigh
• Seaton Community Hospital
• The Staddy function centre, Plymouth
• Abbey Surgery, Tavistock

At Exmouth Tennis and Fitness Centre, patients from 10 local practices will be vaccinated from Tuesday onwards in specially adapted clinical facilities positioned on one of the indoor courts. Dr Barry Coakley, a GP and clinical director of Woodbury, Exmouth and Budleigh (WEB) Primary Care Network, who is among those leading the set-up of the centre, said: “We feel honoured to play our part in this wonderful national covid vaccination programme.

“As soon as the opportunity arose, the teams from all ten practices have come together, working with great skill and efficiency, seizing the moment to ensure that these lifesaving vaccinations are delivered to our communities.We would like to thank all those who have been waiting patiently to be contacted for their invitation. We are working through our patient lists in order, as set out in the national guidance, and will make contact with everyone who is eligible in due course.”

Simon Jolly, managing director of Riviera International Conference Centre, where patients from ten local practices are being vaccinated, added “We were really happy to be able to put the Riviera International Centre forward as a venue for COVID-19 vaccinations. It’s an honour to be able to support such a vital project.”

Darryn Allcorn, Devon’s lead chief nurse, said: “We’re working seven days a week to make sure eligible people in Devon a vital vaccine as soon as possible. As a nurse I am proud to be part of this huge national effort to protect our patients against the virus and I would urge people in Devon to come forward when they are called up for the vaccine.

“I can reassure everyone that the NHS will be in touch with you when it’s your turn to have the vaccine. Contacting your local hospital or practice only slows us down as it takes up precious time and resources to respond to the calls.”

The local vaccination sites are using the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, building on the work of the scores of hospital hubs which have already started vaccinating. More local vaccination centres run by family doctors will open in coming weeks across the county as the roll-out of the greatest vaccination programme in NHS history expands out of hospital hubs.