100,000 milestone for Sutton Coldfield vaccine programme
A Sutton doctor has hailed the ‘truly integrated community effort’ which has seen a landmark 100,000th Covid jab delivered in the Royal Town.
Dr Rahul Dubb, from Sutton Coldfield Group Practice, the local GP leading on vaccinations, said the milestone was an incredible achievement after 11 months of delivering the vaccination programme.
“It recognises the combined efforts of the practice with the town council, town hall, CCG Birmingham and Solihull and the Sutton community love and support,” he said.
“It has, all in all, been absolutely brilliant. The collective want and desire to make this work has been fantastic.
“I am forever grateful to the staff at Sutton Coldfield Group Practice who are now in their 11th month of running this programme for residents in partnership with our fantastic volunteers who have given up much of their time in difficult weather conditions too, to ensure our community is vaccinated as quickly as possible."
"They have all been motivated by the community spirit to have Sutton up and running again.”
The Group Practice is running its most ambitious Covid and flu vaccination programmes from the town hall this winter.
It is offering Covid vaccinations to all patients eligible according to government criteria.
Additionally, it is contacting and booking patients eligible and registered at Sutton Coldfield Group Practice, Manor Practice, Hawthorns and Ashfield Surgery by starting with the most vulnerable first.
The Group Practice is trying to offer both jabs in one trip but due the complexity of different suppliers of vaccines and delivery delays, this may not always be possible.
Appointments are booking only and invitations will be sent by the patient’s own practice
MP Andrew Mitchell described the vaccine roll-out in the town as a ‘remarkable achievement’.
“I send sincere thanks to all the town hall vaccination team,” he added.
“We wouldn’t have hit this milestone without the excellent doctors, practice team, volunteers, town hall staff and our town council who all came together earlier this year to open the town hall as a vaccine hub.”
Meanwhile, Dr Dubb has urged people in the town to continue to act with caution over the virus.
Sutton still has high case rates in some wards with Sutton Wylde Green (494 cases per 100,000 people) in the week running up to September 30 at the top of Birmingham’s list.
Sutton Trinity (465 cases per 100k), Sutton Walmley and Minworth (401 cases per 100k) and Sutton Vesey (387 per 100k) were also in the top ten for the city.
“What we have found is the vaccine has uncoupled the severity from the condition,” said Dr Rahul Dubb, from Sutton Coldfield Group Practice.
“But people can still get Covid despite being vaccinated, so please be vigilant, use masks in crowded places and hygiene is key. The vaccine has made a difference and reduced hospital admissions but it’s important to continue to follow health guidance.”
In the seven days up to October 1, there were 2,716 cases in Birmingham (237.9 cases/100k population), a decrease of 7.1 per cent compared to 2,925 cases (256.2/100k population) on the previous week.
