New Covid-19 vaccination centre opens in Leicester with Patels Chemist

Patels Chemist, part of the Morningside Pharmacy group, has started high-volume NHS Covid-19 vaccination facility at the Jalaram Community Centre in Leicester today (October 12).

The new vaccination site, having an administering capacity of up to 3,000 vaccinations a week, will serve the local community in Leicester, especially in the Westcotes area.

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The move is part of the government’s Covid-19 booster programme which started last month and has since seen millions of the UK’s most vulnerable being offered the jab.

As per government guideline, the centre will first offer vaccines to the priority group that includes care home residents, health and social care workers, people aged over 50, those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions, adult carers, and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.

Pramod Thakkar, chairman of the Jalaram Charitable Trust, said: “The Jalaram Community Centre has always been used for various multi-cultural activities for various faiths to come together and has been an integral part of Leicester’s multicultural success.

He added that hosting the Covid-19 vaccination fits perfectly into the ethos and values of the trust.

Danesh Gadhia, CEO Morningside group of pharmacies, said: “Patels Chemist on Narborough Road has been caring for the health of our local community for over 30 years and we are extremely proud to be part of the national NHS effort against the Coronavirus pandemic.

“We know that one of the ways to overcome Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minority groups is through local engagement and trust.

“This combination (Patels Chemist and the Jalaram Temple) we hope will encourage people to come forward for the vaccination and help us beat this pandemic.”