THE elderly in Bicester are starting to receive their first Covid jabs at the town's new vaccination centre.

Set up at Hangar 139 at Bicester Heritage, the vaccination hub is open for patients who are contacted by their GP to get their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

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Patricia Ayres, from Bicester, 91-year-old Norman Squires from Langford and Greta Walker from Launton, were just three people who visited the site last week and received their injections.

In an email which Mrs Walker sent to her GP after her visit, she said: “I have just had my Covid vaccination at the Heritage site - I wanted to let you know that it was so well organised and I felt very safe.

Bicester Advertiser: Bicester resident Patricia Ayres also received her first injectionBicester resident Patricia Ayres also received her first injection

"Thank you very much for all you do.”

Everyone at the centre was delighted to see her message and also for the support shown by many other patients as they came through to have their first jab.

Injections are carried out at the hub by nurses and clinicians from all three Bicester surgeries – Alchester Medical Group, Bicester Health Centre and Montgomery-House Surgery.

Because of the complexities the NHS faces with delivering the Pfizer vaccine across the country, the centre only opens when a batch of vaccines are available and so opening days change each week.

Despite this, Bicester GPs are grateful for the support of the Bicester community in helping them open the hub and get the jabs rolled out in the town.

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Bicester Advertiser: Patients are invited to the centre directly by their GP. Patients are invited to the centre directly by their GP.

In a statement issued on behalf of all three surgeries, it said: "Hanger 139 was just an empty shell of a building when we got the key and so we also needed other local businesses to willingly get involved and respond to our many requests for help in getting the centre ready.

"We could not have done it without the special help of Park Display in Bicester, who’ve given us their skills and materials to create a dozen vaccination booths and have provided other fittings and signage within the vaccination centre and outside."

As more supplies of the vaccine are made available, the GPs at the hub will be extending vaccinations to more people in the ‘at risk’ groups and of lower ages.