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Patients over the age of 80 from GP surgeries in Whiteley, Titchfield, and Fareham town centre were invited to Fareham Community Hospital for the vaccination.

Titchfield residents Mary Crack and Kevin Lee were among the first in the area to receive the injection, with Mary saying it felt ‘absolutely wonderful’ to begin the process after a year of uncertainty.

Mary said: 'We’ve barely left the house this year – we've been out every day to walk the dog, but that's about it.

A patient receiving a vaccination at Fareham Community Hospital. Picture: Habibur Rahman

'I can't wait to see my grandchildren and give them a great big hug.

'I'm feeling very optimistic for the future - I'm working under the principle things can't get much worse.'

Kevin added: 'We felt very confident coming down here - we have used the hospital for years.’

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Peter Queripel supported his mother-in-law Dee Laird to attend Fareham Community Hospital for her first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Picture: Habibur Rahman

The hospital aims to administer 975 doses of the vaccine over the next three days.

A follow-up dose – the second part of the vaccination process – is safely stored inside freezers in the hospital.

Dr Tom Bertram, a Titchfield GP helping to coordinate the roll-out, said the day was the first time many vulnerable patients were leaving their homes in months.

He said: 'One of the people they vaccinated (earlier today) said it was the first he had been out of the house in eight months.

'He was keen to get the vaccine and put the last eight months behind him.’

Covid-19 vaccine roll-out begins at Fareham Community Hospital

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