RESOURCING more staff and volunteers, the arrival of military support and working through bank holidays are some of the ways in which Salisbury’s main vaccination centre has reacted to the accelerated booster roll out. 

At the weekend the prime minister announced that anyone aged over 18, who has already received two Covid-19 vaccinations, will be offered a third jab before the end of the year.

As a result, the Salisbury vaccination centre, the former City Hall, has ramped up its services to cope with a surge of bookings.

Military support was called in from last week, and staff will now be working the Christmas bank holidays, December 27 and 28, despite original plans for a five-day break.

“It’s so important to us that everyone is vaccinated and we want to do everything we can to enable that to happen so we will look at every opportunity,” said Fiona Hyett, operational director for the centre.

Responding to the targets set, Fiona added: “It’s a huge ask, but a really important ask, at the heart of all of that is we want to do our bit to protect the public and protect the NHS.”

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It is hoped the team can recruit more staff and volunteers, as well as hitting the centre's goal of administering 1,200 vaccine doses a day. Before the booster roll out, the hub was regularly hitting the 750 and 850 mark.

Fiona added the team was “keen to test out some different ways of working”.

“We want to make sure we maximise every bit of capacity to enable as many people to be booked as soon as possible so we need everyone to be patient, because they will get their turn,” she said. 

Responding to booster concerns, Fiona said: “This was never a vaccine that would stop people catching Covid, it’s just a vaccine that protects you from the worst ravages of Covid, stops you being admitted to hospital, and stops you dying.

"That’s what we’re trying to avoid rather than not being able to catch it or pass it on.”

As well as developments at the Malthouse Lane site, more vaccination services will also be opening up across the city to accommodate the demand, including pop-up sites and in surgeries.

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