The main Huddersfield Covid-19 vaccination centre has moved from the John Smith’s Stadium.
The stadium first became a vaccination centre in early 2021 when the Chadwick Lawrence Stand became a makeshift medical hub and hundreds of people a day filed out of the ground pitchside, guided by marshals wearing luminous jackets with ‘Flu Fighters’ on the back.
As the spring vaccination campaign gets underway, the local NHS has announced that the stadium will no longer be used and the vaccination centre has moved to the Princess Royal Community Health Centre on Greenhead Road, Huddersfield.
Those eligible for the latest jab this spring are people aged 75 and over, individuals living in a care home for older adults and anyone aged five or over with a weakened immune system.
Anybody who still needs their first or second Covid-19 vaccinations is also welcome to come forward.
The NHS says moving the vaccination centre to an existing healthcare venue offers a more flexible approach and makes better use of the staff resource.
Catherine Wormstone, senior responsible officer for the vaccination rollout in Kirklees, said: “Vaccinations are still vitally important to make sure we can continue to live with Covid-19. As the vaccination programme enters its latest phase, we have been looking at how we can keep meeting the needs of local people.
“The new location ensures that vaccinations continue to be easy and convenient to access for people across our area and that we are using our staff resource as efficiently and effectively as possible.
“I would like to thank the management, staff and all the volunteers at the John Smith’s Stadium who have supported the vaccination centre over the past two years.
READ MORE: Here’s how we reported the start of vaccinations at the John Smith’s Stadium back in 2021
“Their commitment and hard work played a hugely important role in the delivery of a very successful vaccination programme in Kirklees, ensuring that thousands of people received the life-saving vaccination as quickly as possible.”
Princess Royal Community Health Centre is just outside Huddersfield town centre and there is free parking for up to 30 minutes or unlimited free parking for blue badge holders.
In addition to the Princess Royal Vaccination Centre, Covid-19 vaccinations are available to eligible people at centres run by local GP practices and community pharmacies across the borough.
Karen Jackson, chief executive of Locala Health and Wellbeing, which runs the vaccination centre at Princess Royal, said: “I’d like to thank all my colleagues, stadium staff and the many volunteers who all played an important role in running the vaccination centre at the John Smith’s Stadium.
“There is no doubt that the national vaccination effort has played and continues to play a huge part in the fight against Covid-19.
“I’m proud of the contribution we have made to that effort, which I know we will continue to do from our new location at Princess Royal.”
To find out more about eligibility for a spring Covid-19 vaccination, find a vaccination centre, and book a jab, please visit the NHS website.
Arnie Taylor receives a jab at the Princess Royal Community Health Centre