THE team delivering Oxford's vaccine programme at the Kassam Stadium have been thanked for their efforts as they reached the one million jab milestone.
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust celebrated the occasion by praising staff who have delivered the vaccine at the stadium – the home of Oxford United – and at its other centres in Aylesbury and Reading.
The first vaccines were administered to the public at the Kassam Stadium in February 2021,
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Pop-up centres were also set up in Witney, Banbury and in several locations in Berkshire, including the Health on the Move bus which visited the last year's Reading Festival.
More than 1,600 members of staff have joined the Oxford Health vaccination team, including vaccinators, doctors, pharmacy technicians, administrators, marshals and volunteers. Together, they helped vaccinate people aged five to over 100 years-old with Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, helping in the fight against Covid.
They were today presented with special badges to commemorate the occasion.
An Oxford Health spokesman described the past 14 months as "momentous", from marking the vaccination centre layouts at the Kassam using tape on a cold December morning in 2021, to opening the doors and welcoming the first of hundreds of thousands of people later to have their vaccinations.
People aged 75 and over were the first to get their jabs at the stadium, starting on February 1, 2021.
The programme was part of the wider vaccination effort which began with 82-year-old retired maintenance manager Brian Pinker receiving the jab at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Churchill Hospital, in Headington.
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Mr Pinker was the first in the world to receive the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine outside clinical trials.
Last August, the Oxford Health vaccine team at the Kassam Stadium celebrated the half-a-millionth jab across its centres in the three counties.
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Nick Broughton, Oxford Health's Chief Executive, said: "The efforts of everyone involved in Oxford Health's vaccination programme can't be understated – getting to one million jabs is an enormous achievement and I want to thank each and every person who has played their part.
"To think where we were before February 2021 to where we are now with an experienced team and slick vaccination process is quite amazing.
"Everyone stepped up from day one whether their job was to find places to set up the vaccine centres, installing the equipment, giving the vaccines or doing all the administration the commitment and hard work has been nothing short of amazing."
The team continues to welcome people for first, second and booster jabs and remains ready to vaccinate new cohorts as government announcements require. The Oxford Health vaccination centres now offer walk-in opportunities as well as booked appointments.
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