Three GP-led vaccine sites in and around Salisbury are set to close as pharmacies take a more prominent role in the next stage of the rollout.
Leaden Hall in the Cathedral Close, Michael Herbert Hall in Wilton and Salisbury Plain Health Centre will not be part of the second phase of the vaccination programme, which involves providing the vaccine to people aged between 18 and 39, who are least likely to be seriously affected by coronavirus.
People aged 30 and above are now eligible to receive the jab, and can arrange an appointment through the national booking system over the phone or online.
GP-led sites such as Salisbury Cathedral, recently replaced by Leaden Hall, have been instrumental in ensuring the most vulnerable could access jabs without the need to travel too far from home.
But now the rollout has reached younger age groups, different options will become available.
'Right' time for a review
Dr Andrew Girdher, Clinical Chair at Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “Locally, we have had great success in vaccinating those in our community who are most vulnerable to Covid-19, and we are now seeing the benefit of this with fewer cases being recorded, fewer deaths and fewer hospital admissions.
“As we begin the process of vaccinating younger people, it feels like now is the right time to review our current list of sites, and doing so in this way ensures vaccine provision is protected for those yet to be vaccinated, while also allowing some practices to revert their focus back fully to providing much-needed everyday care.
“As this is still an incredibly busy time within healthcare, people can support their local practice by thinking about whether their concern requires the attention of a GP, or whether self-care, a visit to a local pharmacist, or a combination of the two would be more appropriate.”
A spokesperson from the CCG could not confirm what day the sites will be close as “different sites will be withdrawing at different times”.
Pharmacies takeover
Details of which pharmacies in and around Salisbury will begin to roll out the vaccine, and when the rollout will start, are yet to be revealed.
Pharmacies in Bath, Corsham and Combe Down were expected to begin before the bank holiday weekend.
Other pharmacies in areas such as Keynsham, near Bristol, and Lyneham, in the north of Wiltshire, will soon follow suit.
The large-scale site at City Hall will continue to remain operational.
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the vaccine hub, has recently started rolling out Pfizer vaccines to allow younger people to book their jab there.
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