Logistical challenges have prevented GP surgeries in Sittingbourne from administering the Covid-19 vaccine, despite the area's high infection rates, but the approval of a new jab has been described as a "real game changer".

From mid-December, surgeries in Kent have been administering the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine, including the Sheerness Health Centre, but no GP-led programmes have yet started in Sittingbourne.

It was previously reported by Pulse, a health care magazine, that the town's primary care network (PCN), which is made up of GP surgeries, had not signed up to deliver the vaccine at their sites.

However, joint clinical director Dr Reshma Syed told KentOnline that they are now "exploring every possible avenue" and the new Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, announced today, will help with the logistics of the town's vaccination programme.

In the past few months, Swale has regularly recorded the highest rates in the country, with latest figures from today showing 749.6 weekly cases per 100,000, above the Kent average of 698.9.

Speaking yesterday, Dr Syed said: "We are currently speaking to Swale Borough Council and Kent and Medway CCG to implement Covid vaccination to the Sittingbourne population.

"This has been hampered by the sheer logistics of administration and organisation of this mass Covid vaccination.

"Due to the requirements of storage of this Pfizer vaccine at -70 deg C and vaccination delivery, has made it difficult to deliver from individual GP practices as would have been preferred.

"We have no viable designated site in the Sittingbourne area required to meet required standards of storage, security and observation of patients following vaccination at present.

"Problems with delayed delivery, needing to re-adjust lists of appointments and rearranging appointments at short notice is a logistical nightmare.

"This is coupled with increasing pressure on GP practices with staff sickness and staff having to self-isolate due to Covid and having to run day to day GP practices.

"I want to assure the Sittingbourne population that we are exploring every possible avenue and will endeavour to vaccinate against Covid as soon as logistically possible in the coming weeks."

'This comes as a great relief to general practice...'

Caroline Rickard, joint medical director at the Kent Local Medical Committee said GP practices had to consider whether they would be able to deliver 975 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which is the size of the deliveries, in three and a half days, when the doses would expire, while treating their usual patients and adhering to social distancing.

The Oxford vaccine can be stored in a standard fridge, unlike the Pfizer/BioNTech jab.

Reacting to the news of the vaccine's approval, Dr Syed said: "This was absolutely fantastic news to hear the AstraZeneca vaccine was approved today.

"This is a real game changer and will really help to facilitate logistically the Covid vaccination programme for the Sittingbourne population from GP surgeries and into care homes as well.

"This comes as a great relief to general practice to hear and we look forward to receiving this particular AstraZeneca vaccine.

"We have been extremely successful in our flu vaccination campaign this year and hope to replicate this also with mass Covid vaccination as well."

A spokesperson for NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group said vaccine services will start in the town in early January but couldn't confirm whether GP surgeries would be providing them.

He said: “The NHS is rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine across all parts of Kent and Medway. More than 25 locations have already started vaccinating and more will be available shortly.

“There will be services in Sittingbourne. Final planning is happening this week for the next local vaccination services which will start in the first two weeks of January.

"We will publish details as soon as they are confirmed.

“People are being contacted directly when the vaccine is available to them; based on the nationally set priority groups.

"We understand that people are keen to get the vaccine but we would ask for everyone to be patient and wait to be contacted."

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