Portsmouth pharmacy starts giving Covid-19 vaccine but bosses stress only those with an appointment should attend

Laly’s Pharmacy in Portsmouth is one of four pharmacies that have started administering the Covid-19 vaccine in Hampshire today from its branch in Guildhall Walk.

It comes during the ‘Shot in the Arm’ campaign by The News and its sister titles which called on the government to utilise the network of pharmacies across the country to speed up the rollout of the vaccine and set out its strategy more clearly.

Director Baldev Laly said: ‘We are very proud that our Guildhall Walk branch has been asked to contribute to the national drive for Covid-19 vaccinations.

‘To be asked to stand alongside colleagues in the Primary Care Network who instantly responded and have been administering the vaccine so efficiently since the end of last year, is a great compliment. If it weren’t for their hard work, establishing systems and putting in place procedures we are now following, we would not be able to play our part.

‘We cannot stress enough that our staff and pharmacists have absolutely no control or influence over booking appointments. We will only be vaccinating people who have come to us by invitation and have the information required, so people should not just turn up at our store which is needed to see and help people with minor ailments and in need of prescriptions.’

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South east regional chief pharmacist, Sue Ladds, added: ‘Pharmacies are becoming part of the Covid vaccination infrastructure in more and more parts of England.

‘It is great that many independent pharmacies are rising to the challenge, alongside the national chains, GPs, hospitals, and others, in this vital combined effort.

‘We are confident that pharmacies will become increasingly core to the success of the vaccination programme as it rolls out. They are ultimately capable of protecting millions of people and can reach into communities across the land, to vaccinate, advise and care.’

There are now 232 vaccinations sites, including GP surgeries, hospitals and large vaccination sites, that are operating across the south east.

According to a senior NHS director, a mass vaccination site at St James’ Hospital in Milton is due to be live by ‘the beginning of February’.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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