Navigation Walk vaccination centre reaches one-year anniversary

West Yorkshire’s first large-scale vaccination centre marks 12 months of providing life-saving COVID-19 jabs to people across Wakefield today.

Thousands of people have been vaccinated since Navigation Walk, headquarters of Spectrum Community Health CIC, opened its doors on 26 January 2021.

Staff from The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Spectrum Community Health CIC have delivered 171,950 vaccinations at the centre, which was one of four opened across West Yorkshire in early 2021 to offer thousands of appointments at convenient city centre locations.

Carol McKenna, Senior Responsible Officer for the West Yorkshire Vaccination Programme, paid tribute to the hard work of staff at the centres and said they had played a vital role in protecting people: “The large-scale vaccination centres have been instrumental in the vaccine rollout and getting people across the region vaccinated as quickly as possible. Thanks to the efforts of NHS staff and partners like Spectrum, thousands of people across West Yorkshire have been protected against COVID-19 and reduced their risk of dying or being admitted to hospital.

“Unfortunately, our lives continue to be dominated by this awful virus, and I’d urge anyone who hasn’t had all or any of their jabs to come forward. Every vaccination makes a difference and you can book an appointment at a time and place to suit you or visit one of the many walk-in clinics on offer.”

David Melia, Director of Nursing & Quality at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said;

“We’re incredibly proud to have reached this milestone, and I’d like to offer my personal thanks to everyone who has worked as part of the programme to administer vaccines to our local community in the fight against COVID-19.”

Anyone needing a vaccination can book an appointment at www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine or by calling 119. Details of local walk-in clinics are also available using the site finder on www.nhs.uk