London health chiefs promise faster vaccine rollout with 25 new centres in the capital this week

The capital’s most senior doctor urged people to come forward ‘without delay’ for the jab when called
AP

London health chiefs today pledged to speed up vaccinations by opening up to 25 new centres in the capital this week, including a major site in the shadow of Wembley Stadium.

With the number of centres due to hit 170 by the weekend, the capital’s most senior doctor urged people to come forward “without delay” for the jab when called.

“We’re adding more and more sites as vaccine supplies become available, and staff and volunteers are going the extra mile to vaccinate to those who need it most,” said Dr Vin Diwakar, Medical Director for the NHS in London.

Although the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said he is “hugely concerned” that Londoners had only had a tenth of the total number of vaccine doses given in England, despite making 16 per cent of the population, Dr Diwaker said: “The NHS vaccination programme is off to a strong start in London, with hundreds of thousands of jabs now given.”

He went on: “Tragically, more than one thousand Londoners lost their lives to Covid last week, and nearly half of the capital’s hospital beds are treating those with coronavirus – so it is vital that people get protection against this devasting virus through a safe, effective and well-tested vaccine.

“As London comes together to deliver the largest vaccination programme in our history, we need people to stay home to help save lives.”

Giant vaccination centres opened last week at London’s ExCeL centre, Docklands, and at Epsom racecourse.

The NHS in London sent out 43,000 invitations to over 80s last week.

Care home residents and those who are unable to travel to vaccine centres, hospitals or GP-led sites are being jabbed at home.

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