Flu jabs: Church Street and South Street surgeries team up for second mass vaccination programme at Bishop's Stortford Football Club
Bishop's Stortford Football Club will once again host a mass vaccination operation this week following the success of the first 'flu jab festival' in September.
The town's Church Street and South Street surgeries are teaming up again to hold another three-day “inoculation by invitation only” programme at Blues' Woodside Park ground, off Dunmow Road, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (Oct 19, 20 and 22).
The first event, on the last three days in September, saw some 1,500 of the most 'at risk' people receive vaccinations.
A spokesman for the Church Street surgery said: "The programme was held to be a success due to the management efficiency of the operation in getting people in and out in minimal time, causing little disruption to people’s busy lives and the anxiety they may have in visiting medical events.
"Approximately 1,500 patients were seen and vaccinated over three days. The two participating surgeries have invited a further 2,000 patients this time around.
"Attendees left the site full of praise for the professionalism and good humour of the staff and volunteers on site.
"If you have an invitation you are encouraged to come along as this is an important protection for you this winter."
The jabs are administered in the football club's buildings and not in tents in the car park.
Flu vaccinations are taking place at surgeries and pharmacies by appointment as well.
The operations come after Dr Sian Stanley, a partner at the Church Street surgery, told the Stortford Indie that flu jabs would be critical to coping with the second wave of Covid-19 this winter .
She appealed to everyone to get vaccinated rather than risk both infections simultaneously amid fears the mortality rate will be worse.
Dr Stanley is also clinical director of the Stort Valley and Villages Primary Care Network (PCN), which cares for 63,000 patients on the lists of the five practices in Bishop's Stortford, Sawbridgeworth and Much Hadham, whose teams have been working together since the start of the pandemic.
NHS teams in the Stort Valley PCN would continue to work flat out to deliver Covid care, but residents needed to play their part by exercising patience despite their anxiety and frustration, said Dr Stanley.
She spoke of a "palpable fear among GPs about giving everybody what they need" and said: "We need our patients to work with us to help us deliver the right care to the right patients at the right time."
