First care home residents in Telford and Wrekin get Covid-19 vaccination

A 61-year-old man was among the first care home residents in Telford and Wrekin to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

John Heggarty is a resident at Morris Care Home in Wellington and told how he was pleased and proud to mark the start of the vaccine rollout to care home residents in the area.

He said: “It’s really great that I’ve got to be vaccinated so soon and in the comfort of the care home I live in, not having to travel for the vaccine. 

“I look forward now to a return to a new normal and this is one more step forward towards helping with safe visits again from my family, I have really missed seeing them in person.”

The Morris Care Centre in Wellington is the first care home in the county to begin Covid-19 vaccinations, which local health bosses said was a “huge step” forward. 

This was the first time that elderly care home residents from Shropshire have been vaccinated in the facility in which they live.

Dr Dez Ebenezer, GP Managing Partner at Wellington Medical Practice and Clinical Director of Wrekin Primary Care Network said "We are delighted to be vaccinating our first care home residents at Morris Care today.

"We look forward to more care home residents in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin benefitting from the vaccination programme and the protection it offers."

In addition, a further two GP practices across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, started to offer the vaccination yesterday, 29 December. 

The roll out began in mid-December and is being offered first to the county’s most vulnerable residents in line with national guidelines.

Residents will be contacted directly by their GP if they are eligible for the vaccine, as part of the priority group criteria – with residents aged 80 and above along with care home workers and residents and NHS workers who are at higher risk, among the first to receive the vaccination. 

In the meantime, all residents are being asked not to contact their GP or the hospitals regarding vaccinations and wait to receive a letter or phone call from their GP inviting them to book their appointment. Everyone will be offered the vaccine over the course of 2021. 

Telford & Wrekin Council Leader, Shaun Davies, said: “We welcome that our care home residents are receiving their vaccinations and that more local people are being able to take up the offer to be vaccinated closer to home, so they don’t have to travel larger distances to other sites in the county.

“Making sure that all our vulnerable residents and those at higher risk are protected and getting the vaccine as a priority is vital as we continue to battle Covid-19.

“I will continue to do everything I can to support the roll-out of the vaccination as quickly as possible.”

Liz Noakes, Director of Public Health for Telford & Wrekin Council, said:  “We are pleased  that care home residents in our borough are now starting to receive the vaccine, which will go a long way to protecting some of the most vulnerable people in our population.

“I would like to thank all members of staff involved in the getting the vaccination service up and running. It is testament to their hard work that we’ve been able to rapidly roll out the programme across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. 

“I’d urge everyone to take up the vaccine when it’s offered – it’s our best protection against COVID-19.

“However, the full vaccination roll-out in our borough will take some time - it’s important that we all continue to do everything we can to prevent the spread of the virus in the borough, particularly at this time, when there are new Covid-19 variants spreading quickly across the country. 

“Please continue to self-isolate and get tested when you need to, do not socialise indoors, wash your hands, wear a face covering where appropriate and maintain a distance of 2m from other people.”