Doncaster and Bassetlaw hospitals begin covid-19 booster vaccination rollout

DBTH began issuing covid-19 booster jabs at Doncaster Royal Infirmary on October 6 and 7 to staff who received their first dose of the vaccine in late 2020 or early 2021.

From Monday, October 11, a booking system will be put in place and the rollout will continue.

Every member of staff who has received two doses of the vaccine will receive a text message from the hospital, which will give them the date, time, and location of their booster.

The Trust have revealed the campaign has got off to a good start as many staff have already taken up the offer of a coronavirus vaccination booster in the community.

The Trust hopes that this trend will continue, and that this campaign can be as successful as the first vaccine rollout at the hospital, when more than 13,000 doses were delivered

Karen Barnard, director of people and organisational development, said: “The rollout of the booster jab will enable us to maximise the protection of those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19, and is a crucial step in the Trust’s fight against the virus.

“As we move into the colder months, cases of all the winter illnesses, including COVID-19, will begin to rise, and we need to be as well prepared as we can be.

“Those who get the booster vaccination are not only protecting themselves, but also their colleagues, friends, and family.

“I want to thank my colleagues for the dedication and enthusiasm they have shown in supporting our vaccination programme”

“We are very fortunate in that we have traditionally had high levels of vaccination compliance amongst our workforce.

“In just the first 10 days of our flu vaccination programme, more than 3,500 colleagues came forward – and we hope for a similar show of support as we move ahead with the delivery of COVID-19 booster jabs.”

Health professionals at the Trust are continuing to urge local people to adhere to government guidelines on covid-19, particularly stressing the importance of hands, face, and space.

Visitors to the hospitals can also help in the fight against the winter illnesses by not coming to see relatives and friends if they have any covid-19, flu, or cold-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, cough, body aches and fatigue.

A full list of visiting restrictions can be viewed here: https://www.dbth.nhs.uk/coronavirus-need-know/