KentOnline

bannermobile

News

Sport

Business

What's On

Advertise

Contact

Other KM sites

CORONAVIRUS WATCH KMTV LIVE SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTERS LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS LISTEN TO KMFM
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
News

Covid vaccinations at Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham, to begin next week

By: Matt Ramsden mramsden@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 16:04, 11 December 2020

Updated: 16:06, 11 December 2020

Covid vaccinations are to start at Medway Maritime Hospital next week.

It is not yet known which day they will begin, but healthcare workers and people in the highest risk categories will be first in line.

James Devine

Welcoming the news, Medway NHS Foundation Trust chief executive, James Devine, said: "We are proud to be named as one of the latest Hospital Hubs to begin vaccinating all those aged 80 years and older, care home workers and NHS frontline staff.

"This vaccine plays an important role in our response to Covid-19 and we are delighted to be involved in the delivery of it.

“I would also like to thank our staff for their incredible efforts; not just for the planning and preparation involved in getting the vaccine ready for distribution, but for the compassionate care they have continued to provide for our patients throughout this pandemic.”

mpu1

It comes as Medway and Swale – the areas the hospital serves – remain the worst two affected areas in the country.

Kenneth Lamb was the first to receive the vaccine in Kent on Tuesday.

Medway has an overall infection rate of 606 people per 100,000 population, while Swale has a rate of 624.

The picture is even grimmer when looking at some of the worst-hit local areas.

Chatham south west has recorded 1,052 cases per 100,000, Rochester south east 878 and Gillingham south 798.

In Swale, Sheerness east is at 703 and Sittingbourne central 636,

The Gillingham hospital was previously placed on an NHS list to be among the first hubs this week.

The priority list for receiving the vaccine

But for a still unexplained reason, alongside Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford, it was removed.

The first hospital in Kent to administer the jab was William Harvey, Ashford, on Tuesday.

mpu2

Darent Valley has been contacted to see if it has been given the go ahead by the Department of Health.

For the latest coronavirus news and advice, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway

More by this author

sticky

© KM Group - 2024