THE doctor in charge of York’s new national vaccination centre has reassured local residents they will not be forgotten or face delays because of it.

Professor Mike Holmes, writing a column in today’s edition of The Press, said the local vaccination service would continue exclusively for York residents, and so the new centre at Askham Bar would simply enhance their choice and potentially speed up their invitation.

He writes: “York people will not miss out. It’s a win-win situation for York and North Yorkshire.

“Our local services run by our GP practices and Primary Care Networks across the county have done a fantastic job and they will continue to run as they have been, including the service provided by Nimbuscare at Askham Bar on behalf of the City’s GP Practices."

Prof Holmes was writing as the first patients received the jab at the centre, which is offering additional coronavirus jabs to thousands of people a day from within a 45-minute drive across the region.

Husband and wife Thomas and Margaret Gray were the first to receive their jabs in one of the new temporary buildings.

Prof Holmes said the new centre was a "really significant development", and would be able to vaccinate frontline health and social care staff as well as the public.

He said nurses, doctors, pharmacists, dentists and other healthcare workers had been recruited to work there from across the region, and there had also been support from the army from various bases in the region.

“Furthermore we are working alongside hundreds of local volunteers, they are making this truly historical event possible,” he said.

For more information about what to expect when people visit the vaccination site, go to https://www.primarycareyork.nhs.uk/our-services/nhs-covid-vaccination-service/