More GP surgeries will start issuing coronavirus vaccines after additional centres were set up and approved by NHS bosses.

The extra eight in towns across Covid-hit Kent now bring the total to 17 after the first nine started giving out jabs from Tuesday.

The "second wave" is up and running with the NHS now contacting more patients to invite them to attend a vaccine appointment.

Practices in Ashford, Gillingham, Northfleet and Maidstone joined the first centres which opened this week.

The second tranche of centres are at:

• Avicenna Medical Centre, West Malling
• Charing Surgery
• Blackthorn Medical Centre, Maidstone
• Musgrove Park Medical Centre, Ashford
• Greensands Branch Surgery (Loose)
• Meopham Medical Centre
• Woodlands Family Practice, Gillingham
• Building B, Fleet Health Centre

The vaccination programme at surgeries in Kent and Medway is being managed by the Kent and Medway NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) with each surgery taking part directly commissioned by NHS England.

The primary care networks (PCNs) have been set up across Kent to issue the Pfizer vaccine to the most at risk patients from the virus.

Based on national prioritisation lists, the first vaccines available will be issued to high risk NHS staff, social care workers and patients aged over 80.

Along with the GP surgeries, two of Kent's largest hospitals – the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford and Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham – are now running as vaccination hubs and storing the vaccine in ultra-low temperature freezers.

Due to the specific storage requirements for the vaccine – it has to remain frozen at -70C – only hospitals, universities, research labs and very few sites have the equipment to store the vaccine safely.

One it is thawed, the doses must be used within five days or they are not effective.

The CCG says more surgeries will be added in the New Year as increasing supplies are made available. Each site is understood to have received an initial 975 doses.

But health chiefs have warned the vaccination programme is a "marathon not a sprint" and that it will take several months to be rolled out to the one million residents in Kent.

The government is receiving 800,000 doses in the first shipment from Pfizer but has already ordered 40 million doses – enough for 20 million people.

The full list of surgeries covered by the PCNs operating a vaccination service is as follows:

Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital, Herne Bay

• The Heron Medical Practice
• Park Surgery

Abbey Court Medical Centre, Tunbridge Wells

• Kingswood Surgery
• Speldhurst & Greggswood Medical Practice
• Clanricarde Medical Centre
• Grosvenor & St James Medical Practice
• Abbey Court Medical Centre
• St Andrews Medical Centre
• Rusthall Medical Centre
• Waterfield House Practice
• Lonsdale Medical Centre

Sheerness Health Centre, Sheerness

• Sheerness Health Centre
• St George's Medical Centre
• The OM Medical Centre
• Dr Witt’s Practice, Sheerness Health Centre
• Minster Medical Group, Sheppey Healthy Living Centre
• Sheppey NHS Healthcare Centre, Sheppey Community Hospital

Mocketts Wood, Broadstairs

• The Limes Medical Centre
• Northdown Surgery
• Bethesda Medical Centre
• Mocketts Wood Surgery
• Minster Surgery, Ramsgate
• Westgate Surgery
• Minster Surgery
• St Peter’s Surgery
• Birchington Medical Practice
• Broadstairs Medical Practice
• Ash Surgery

Swanscombe Health Centre, Swanscombe

• Downs Way Medical Practice
• Pilgrims Way Surgery
• Swanscombe Health Centre

Len Valley Branch Surgery, Maidstone

• Bearsted Medical Practice
• Len Valley Practice
• Headcorn Surgery
• Sutton Valence Surgery
• Orchard Surgery (Langley)

Long Catlis Road Surgery, Rainham

• Thames Avenue Surgery
• Orchard Family Practice
• Maidstone Road Rainham Surgery
• Waltham Road Medical Centre
• Wigmore Medical Centre
• Eastcourt Lane Surgery
• The Church View Practice
• Parkwood Family Practice
• Long Catlis Road Surgery

Montefiore Centre, Ramsgate

• The Grange Medical Practice
• Summerhill Surgery
• Dashwood Medical Centre
• East Cliff Practice
• Newington Road Surgery

Avicenna Medical Centre, West Malling

• Thornhills Medical Practice
• Snodland Medical Practice
• West Malling Group Practice
• Wateringbury Surgery
• Phoenix Medical Practice

Charing Surgery

• Woodchurch Surgery
• Charing Surgery
• Ivy Court Surgery
• Hamstreet Surgery

Blackthorn Medical Centre, Maidstone

• Aylesford Medical Centre
• Blackthorn Medical Centre
• College Practice

Musgrove Park Medical Centre, Ashford

• Hollington Surgery
• Sydenham House
• New Hayesbank Surgery
• Wye Surgery
• Sellindge Surgery
• Kingsnorth Medical Practice

Greensands Branch Surgery (Loose)

• Albion Place Medical Practice
• Greensand Health Centre - Stockett Lane

Meopham Medical Centre

• Jubilee Medical Centre
• Meopham Medical Practice

Woodlands Family Practice, Gillingham

• Woodlands Family Practice
• Medway Medical Centre
• Glebe Family Practice
• Pump Lane Surgery
• Napier Road Surgery
• Upper Canterbury Street Surgery

Building B, Fleet Health Centre

• Oakfield Health Centre
• Springhead Health Ltd
• The Shrubbery and Riverview Park Surgery

For more information about the Covid-19 vaccine in Kent and Medway visit the CCG website.

For the latest coronavirus news and advice, click here.

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