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Patients start receiving second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Selby vaccination centre

Edward Minor Selby VaccinationSelby’s vaccination centre has this week entered a new phase in its push to protect tens of thousands of residents against COVID-19, with the first patients receiving their second dose of the vaccine.

Patients at the hub, based at the town’s Summit Indoor Adventure Centre, have been telling of the benefits of receiving the vaccine – including one 86-year-old who tested positive for the virus, but felt no ill effects having had his first dose.

Edward Minors (pictured), from Wheldrake, tested positive for COVID-19 three weeks after he had the first dose of the vaccine. He received his second dose at the Selby vaccination centre on Tuesday, saying his overall experience has been “very, very good.”

While the vaccine does offer some protection after the first dose, the second dose is an essential part of the vaccination process. It is given 12 weeks after the first which increases protection against coronavirus and reduces its spread.

The centre, which opened last month, is currently vaccinating between 1,100 and 1,300 people per session from the population of nearly 50,000 that it serves.

As the vaccination programme expands to include people aged 56 and over, patients covered by the Selby Town Primary Care Network are continuing to be invited to the centre. Starting next week (March 15), 2,600 patients in this age group will receive their first dose of the vaccine in the first two days.

Dr Nick Jackson, Clinical Director of Selby Town Primary Care Network, said: “The Selby vaccination centre has been a great success since opening in February. It’s really rewarding to see the careful preparation put into converting the centre is paying off for our patients.”

“Thanks to the tireless dedication of the staff and volunteers working at the centre, our community is getting the best possible protection against the virus.”

A couple in their 80s from Riccall both praised the organisation of the vaccination centre and its staff after having their second doses. They said: “At every stage they reassure you if you’re feeling a bit worried about anything.”

Margaret Crick, 85 from Selby, echoed their comments, saying: “Everybody’s been so kind and lovely. They all take their job seriously.”

Thousands more people will be invited to the centre in the coming weeks and months by the local NHS to receive their first and second doses of the vaccine, as the rollout of the programme continues. The NHS is inviting eligible people in a phased basis as supplies of the vaccine allow, and everyone will be offered a vaccine in due course.

Summit Indoor Adventure Centre was converted to create the vaccination centre, having been closed since March 2020 due to coronavirus restrictions. The site was chosen by the Primary Care Network because it offers off-street parking, a one-way system through the vaccination process, space for patients to be observed for 15 minutes after their vaccination, disabled access and minimal impact on residential areas. It will be used as a vaccination centre for a minimum of seven months, and Selby District Council is considering long-term options for the venue.

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