Coronavirus

Vaccine Quick Reaction Force Steps Up To Support Vaccination Programme

The Prime Minister has warned the public not to become complacent as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise across the country.

On Monday, Boris Johnson visited Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol, one of the seven mass vaccination centres to open.

During his visit, he met with members of the Royal Navy and watched as they underwent training to carry out vaccinations.

Members of the Armed Forces could be delivering COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of the public by the start of February.

Boris Johnson — The Prime Minister visited one of the seven mass-vaccination centres to open on Monday.

“It’s a huge ask of the NHS, the Army, St John Ambulance [and] all the other volunteers that you’re seeing here today.

“Loads and loads of people are coming together to deliver this and there is no doubt that it’s a massively stretching target,” the Prime Minister said.

However, Mr Johnson said it is “absolutely achievable”.

He said: “We’re going to throw absolutely everything at it to get it done.”

The Prime Minister also remarked that “the worst thing” would be allowing the success of the vaccine rollout to “breathe any kind of complacency about the state of the pandemic”.

As every jab is given, the need to restock and resupply grows.

The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Vaccine Quick Reaction Force is stepping up to support the operation.

Headley Court turned into mortuary COVID coronavirus 110121 CREDIT BFBS.jpg — Headley Court is being used as a mortuary as hospitals have reached capacity.

However, as mass vaccination centres open across the country, the former military hospital Headley Court has been converted into a temporary mortuary.

The site in Surrey has already started receiving bodies after hospital facilities reached capacity.

“We are bringing about 20 to 28 deceased in a day,” Jerry Kirkby from the Surrey Local Resilience Forum told Forces News.

The facility was set up during the first wave with support from military planners.

A series of refrigerated tents set up at Headley Court can house more than 800 bodies, which is more than double the capacity currently available at Surrey hospitals.

At the moment, the location is meeting the operational needs and 170 bodies have already been received.