Celebrations were in order at the Peepul Centre on Sunday as the number of Covid-19 vaccinations administered at the venue hit the 100,000 milestone.

The Peepul Centre has been operating as a Leicester vaccination site since Monday 25 January 2021, when it first opened its doors for patients to receive their Covid-19 AstraZeneca vaccination. The Orchardson Avenue-based clinics have been organised by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and have supported the county-wide Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland vaccination programme led by Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Groups.

More than 500 nurses, vaccinators and admin staff and 4,735 volunteers have worked 115 days to administer the doses. The centre has even been used to hold specialist vaccination clinics for people with learning disabilities, through tailored, vaccination sections in longer, quieter sessions.

Helen Thompson, director of the families, young people, children and learning disabilities (FYPCLD) directorate at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, said: “We are so proud to hit this huge milestone to help our local communities get protected. My personal thanks goes out to all our volunteers, vaccinators and support staff who have made this possible. This has taken a huge effort from everyone involved which reflects just how committed, innovative and hard-working our staff and volunteers are.

“However, there is still more work to do. We’d encourage anyone eligible who hasn’t yet had their first vaccine to book in and have it. For those who have had their first dose, please make sure you attend your appointment to have your second vaccine.”

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust also runs two other vaccination sites at Loughborough Community Hospital and Fielding Palmer Hospital, as well as a roving vaccination team for inpatients in community hospitals and mental health wards and staff supporting vaccinations at other hospital hubs. Around 108,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered across all LPT vaccination sites. This is part of the wider local NHS effort across health centres, acute hospital sites, and other vaccination hubs in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, which have now reached nearly 900,000.

Covid-19 vaccinations in England are being offered to those most at risk and who are eligible, meeting the following criteria:

  • people aged 32 and over
  • people who will turn 32 before 1 July 2021
  • people at high risk from COVID-19 (clinically extremely vulnerable)
  • people who live or work in care homes
  • health and social care workers
  • people with a condition that puts them at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)
  • people with a learning disability
  • people who are a main carer for someone at high risk from COVID-19.

More information about booking, eligibility and the vaccines can be found on the NHS website.