First Covid jabs given at East Surrey Hospital

The first vaccines were given to Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust staff and care home workers yesterday (Monday Januarry 4),

A total of 975 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are planned to be given to staff at the hospital - which cares for patients from Horsham and Crawley as well as Surrey - this week.

Health trust staff have been trained to deliver the vaccine, with some 200 jabs provided on the first day.

Sarah Hawksley, speciality doctor in anaesthetics who has worked for the health trust for 16 years, was one of the first people to receive the jab at the Redhill hospital.

She said: “I couldn’t wait to be vaccinated. I’m keen to do whatever we can do to help prevent the spread of the virus. I feel much more confident in caring for my patients now that I’ve been vaccinated.”

Occupational therapist Eva O’Connell also received the vaccine on Monday.and said: “I’m really glad we’re getting the vaccine. I will definitely feel safer now, it’s great news.”

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust chief executive Michael Wilson said: “Our staff have shown such extraordinary dedication and resilience during this pandemic so I am delighted that we are starting this new year by providing this jab.

“It is the largest vaccination programme the NHS has seen so it will take time, but today represents real hope for a bright future.

“I would like to thank our colleagues in pharmacy, occupational health, performance, our peer vaccinators and everyone involved in this enormous effort to launch the programme here at SASH.”

This roll out to health and care staff complements the community vaccination centres already available for members of the public locally in Horsham and Crawley. The programme will expand over the coming weeks and members of the public will be contacted by their GP surgery when it’s their turn to receive the vaccine.

See www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine