Roving vaccination team helping to protect Calderdale residents from Covid-19

The efforts of the team and all health workers in the borough have been praised by Neil Smurthwaite, Chief Operating Officer of NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group.

He said: “The vaccination programme continues across Calderdale and we’re very pleased that the majority of care home residents, those over the age of 75 and frontline health and social care workers have been vaccinated.

“Thanks to the tremendous effort and commitment of all our staff at our sites across Calderdale.”

The roving vaccination team is made up staff working together from Calderdale’s GP practices, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and retired staff returning to help.

The team are vaccinating housebound people in some of the area’s most isolated and hard-to-reach places who would struggle to get to a vaccination site.

“The roving team can also target specific communities, such as those that have been disproportionately affected by the virus,” said Mr Smurthwaite.

“The team vaccinated 26 homeless people and those living street-based lifestyles at the Gathering Place in Halifax earlier this month and the Central Jamia Mosque Madni on Gibbett Street, Halifax will be transformed into a one-day Covid-19 vaccination centre aimed at encouraging more members of the black and Asian community to come forward to be vaccinated from 1pm to 4pm on Sunday, February 14.

“Anyone over the age of 70, a frontline health and social worker or people who are classed as extremely clinically can attend this pop-up vaccination centre to get their first vaccination without the need for an appointment, regardless of their faith. Frontline health and social workers are asked to bring form of identification that proves their eligibility status.

“Work is continuing to vaccinate all those people who are eligible and who are most at risk from the virus. You can help by only turning up to a vaccination centre if you’ve an appointment. You can find all the information you need at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus without the need to ask your GP.”