Plan to use Blackpool's Winter Gardens as Covid vaccination centre

Mass vaccination plans being considered also include recruiting retired nurses back to the NHS to help give the jabs.

A meeting of Blackpool Council’s adult social care and health scrutiny committee was told the NHS faced a huge challenge but plans were gathering pace for the Fylde coast.

Liz Petch, of Blackpool Council’s public health team, told councillors they were “involved in Fylde coast discussions about staffing, roll out, community sites and larger sites”.

She said: “The Winter Gardens has been chosen as a larger site for delivery.

“We are absolutely embroiled in all that discussion – bringing nurses out of retirement and other appropriate vaccinators.”

Coun Michele Scott told the meeting she was concerned about “quite significant propaganda spread on social media” by people opposed to vaccinations, including for Covid 19.

She asked: “What is the plan to combat that and encourage as many people as possible to have the vaccination?”

Dianne Draper, screening and immunisation lead for Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS, said a strong message would be sent urging people to get the Covid jab.

She said: “It’s about saying we are doing this for our community, and doing this for our community to be healthy again.

“The vast majority of people in this country are in favour of vaccinations.”

The committee also heard although figures have not been published yet, the take-up of the winter flu jab so far is higher this year across all age groups, particularly among people aged over 65.

The committee asked for an update report into arrangements for rolling out the Covid 19 vaccine once these were in place.

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