First covid vaccines given at LHCH
Liverpool’s leading specialist heart and chest hospital trust has started the process of vaccinating its most vulnerable patients and frontline staff against COVID-19.
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is pleased to be joining the biggest immunisation programme in the NHS’s history.
Dedicated vaccinators have today started administering the Pfizer vaccine to the Trust’s frontline workers, as well as to appropriate patients aged 80 and over.
The vaccine is delivered by a simple injection in the shoulder, followed by a booster jab 12 weeks later. The first patient to receive the vaccine was Jamie McLelland, Support Worker in Critical Care, who has worked at LHCH for the past 18months.
Jamie, who lives in the City Centre, said: “The past year has been really challenging working in critical care looking after patients, but the support and togetherness of the whole team has been amazing.
“I’m really pleased to be getting the vaccine today as it will help us all to get back to some sort of normality. It will also help to protect not just myself, but patients, colleagues and those around me as well.”
He received his vaccine on Wednesday 6th January from Helen Martin, the Trust’s Risk and Safety Lead Nurse.
Jane Tomkinson, Chief Executive of Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“LHCH has been an integral part of the Cheshire and Merseyside region’s response to caring for and treating COVID-19 patients for the past 9 months. Our staff fully understand the impact that this disease has had on our patients and their families, as well as on our wider communities.
“We’re pleased to have the opportunity to launch our vaccination centre today and join with our NHS colleagues across the country in helping to protect our most vulnerable patients, and frontline staff, from the effects of covid-19. Everyone at LHCH is extremely proud to be playing a part in this national vaccination programme.”
To aid the success of the vaccination programme, the NHS is asking everyone to continue following HANDS, FACE, SPACE – and observe the latest national measures, as well as maintaining social distance, washing hands frequently and wearing face masks to further suppress the virus.
Further information about vaccination is available here and details regarding those being offered the vaccine is available from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).