Southend Covid: Cliffs Pavilion named as vaccination centre

The theatre, in Station Road, Westcliff, is one of six new vaccination hubs announced today, including Chelmsford City Racecourse and Colchester United Football Club.

The idea was first floated by the Echo three weeks ago.

The new centres are among a series opening nationally this week  as the NHS rapidly accelerates the number of sites it can give the crucial first dose of the vaccine.

Each of the centres can vaccinate hundreds of people a day and thousands of people each week, enabling the programme to ramp up as more vaccine supplies become available.

People in the top four priority groups including people aged 70 years old and over, and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable, will be invited to book an appointment at the vaccination centres through the national booking service.

The centres will also be vaccinating health and care staff who are being urged to get their first dose as soon as possible to protect themselves and others.

The six new large-scale vaccination centres are planned to go live over the coming week.

Councillor Trevor Harp, cabinet member for heath at Southend Council, said: “We are really pleased that the Cliffs Pavilion, an iconic Southend venue, is being used to help support our NHS in the largest vaccination drive in history.

"I’m sure our local community are going to be relieved to have an additional vaccination centre on our doorstep, but I would remind people to only attend if they have an appointment.”

It brings the total number of large vaccination centres in Essex and Suffolk to nine following the opening of the Lodge in Runwell in Wickford, Gainsborough Sports Centre and Harlow Leisurezone.

Southend's Raymond Arthur, 80, was among the first to get the Covid jab at the new mass vaccination centre in Runwell

Nigel Leonard, executive director of strategy and transformation at Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), which is co-ordinating the large vaccination centres across Mid and South Essex and Suffolk and North East Essex, said: “The opening of these centres will have a huge impact on our ability to accelerate vaccinations to the people of Essex and Suffolk and protect those most at risk as quickly as possible.

“I would like to thank my NHS colleagues, partners and everyone involved for their incredible work and dedication to enable these centres to open as quickly as possible.”

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The NHS is urging people only to go to a vaccination centre when invited, to ensure priority groups are served first and to maintain safe social distancing at every venue.

Please arrive no more than five minutes before your appointment, the NHS says.

NHS staff are also visiting those who are housebound and unable to travel to their nearest hub or vaccination centre.

The new large-scale vaccination centres planned to go live over the coming week:

• Chelmsford City Racecourse
• Colchester United Jobserve Community Stadium
• The Cliffs Pavilion
• Former Riverwalk School, Bury St Edmunds
• Clacton Hospital
• Alastair Farquharson Centre, Thurrock Community Hospital

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