COVID-19 vaccine – one year on: ‘heroes who’ve moved heaven and earth’ credited with saving up to 8000 lives
8 December is the first anniversary of the first jab given in Greater Manchester – to 86-year-old Ted Jones at Salford Royal Hospital. It is estimated that the city-region’s Covid-19 vaccination programme has so far saved 8,000 lives.
Tens of thousands of committed public services staff – backed by a dedicated volunteer army – have delivered an average of 100,000 vaccinations every single week, equating to 14,285 per day.
Vaccination clinics across the city-region – in hospitals, GP surgeries, pharmacies, sports halls, community centres, schools and even the odd car park – have been running flat-out, seven days a week and often into the evening.
The gargantuan effort has meant that just under two million people have received both first and second vaccine doses, and around 700,000 have so far had third doses or boosters. These numbers continue to grow day after day.
Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership has produced a video to celebrate the efforts of everyone who has helped to deliver the vaccination programme, and continues to do so.
Sarah Price, Interim Chief Officer of Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, said:
“As we reach the first anniversary of the first Covid-19 vaccination in Greater Manchester I want to pay tribute to every single person who has stepped up to get us to this point.
“Together, we’ve delivered around five million life-saving vaccinations, and we’re still going. Our health and social care teams, staff from other public services and other dedicated professionals have come together with our many incredible volunteers to make this happen.
“Put simply, tens of thousands of extraordinary people have moved heaven and earth to deliver Greater Manchester’s vaccination programme. And because of them up to 8,000 lives in Greater Manchester have been saved. That really is something to celebrate.”
Christine Khiroya, Lead for Screening and Immunisation at Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, said:
“With uncertainty around Omicron and any future new variants we won’t be able to take our collective feet off the gas regarding vaccination.
“All of Greater Manchester’s vaccination centres, and the amazing teams who run them, will continue to be working at pace to deliver the booster programme, along with ongoing first and doses, as we seek to get as many people as possible protected.
“While we are keen to thank everyone who has had a hand in the planning and delivery of Greater Manchester’s vaccination programme, we also want to pay tribute to every single person who has turned up to have their jab! It really will make the difference in us getting ahead of this virus, and beating it.”
