A former sportswear shop will host Kent's fifth large-scale vaccination centre when it opens later this week, it has been confirmed.

The DW Sports unit in the Pentagon Centre in Chatham is set to take its first patients from Thursday.

It was confirmed by MPs Kelly Tolhurst and Rehman Chishti, who along with fellow MP Tracey Crouch, have been lobbying health officials and the government to set up a mass centre in the Towns.

KentOnline revealed last week the Pentagon Centre would be the location for the mass hub which will have capacity for about 3,000 patients per day.

The centre adds to four mass vaccine hubs – with a combined capacity of 21,000 per week – in Folkestone, Gravesend, Tonbridge and Ramsgate.

Patients in Medway – the largest conurbation in the South East outside of London – have access to the network of GP practices in the towns, pharmacy vaccine services, the Gravesend mass centre – which opened in early February – and 1,200 weekend appointments at Medway Maritime Hospital.

Ms Tolhurst and her colleagues argued Medway's population of 280,000 and high population density as well as general deprivation meant a central location in the Towns was needed.

In a statement this morning, Ms Tolhurst said: "This is great news for residents across Medway as we move forward with the roll out of the vaccine having a central location accessible for residents from across the Medway Towns.

"The centre will be added to the National list for people to book their vaccinations. KCHFT who are running the centre are also working with Medway Council to make sure that vulnerable Medway residents are identified and offered a vaccine also.

"This site will have the capacity to deliver thousands of vaccinations a week which will really help the roll out across Medway."

Medway has issued the highest number of vaccines in Kent to date (73,756) but data shows as a proportion of the overall population it is the lowest in the county at 35%.

The Pentagon vaccine centre is located in the centre of Chatham giving good access to public transport via the bus network and several public car parks nearby.

The centre is to be operated by the Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT), which is also running the four other large-scale centres.

Letters and text messages are being sent to patients aged 55 and over calling them forward to book through the NHS national vaccination system online or via 119 but you must be registered with a GP surgery which can be done through the website.

KCHFT deputy chief executive Gordon Flack, said: “We are enormously proud of all the work that has gone into every centre we have opened and our Chatham centre is no exception. It is testament to our incredible staff and everyone who has helped to make it happen.

“With five centres open across Kent and Medway, people in the eligible cohorts will be able to find one that is close to them and we are looking forward to continuing to vaccinate as many vulnerable people as possible in the coming days, weeks and months ahead.’’

KCHFT chief pharmacist Ruth Brown, said: “The vaccines are both safe and effective, so if anybody who is eligible but has not yet been vaccinated, I’d urge them to go online or call 119 and get themselves booked in.”

Medway Council leader Cllr Alan Jarrett, said: “We are pleased a vaccination centre will soon be opened in the heart of Medway. I would like to thank our partners in the NHS for their continued hard work in the fight against coronavirus.

“Medway’s new NHS Vaccination Centre has good local transport links. I would encourage anyone eligible for the Covid-19 vaccination to take up the offer.

“Although the vaccine offers a light at the end of the tunnel, we all need to continue to follow the latest government advice to help keep our loved ones safe.”

Anyone in a higher priority cohort yet to receive their vaccine is urged to contact NHS via 119 or book via the online system.

The large-scale sites are able to deliver vaccines and scale up and down their capacity depending on vaccine supply.

"With five centres open across Kent and Medway, people in the eligible cohorts will be able to find one that is close to them..."

Anyone booking an appointment will have a pre-vaccination assessment before receiving their jab and appointments are staggered to allow social distancing and avoid queues. Patients will then need to wait 15 minutes before driving after having a vaccine.

A spokesman for KCHFT said: "If anyone has already been vaccinated since the letter was sent out or would prefer to wait to be invited to attend a hospital or GP service, they can simply ignore it.

"People such as care home residents, who are unable to travel to vaccination centres, hospitals or GP-led sites, are already being vaccinated at home.

"If people have already been given an appointment by their GP service, they should attend that."

The NHS website gives information on who is eligible to book an appointment and people can manage their appointment details through the online system.

For more information visit www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/covid19vaccine

For the latest coronavirus news and advice, click here.

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