This morning I visited the East Elmbridge Vaccination Centre, based at Thames Ditton Community Centre. It was great to be able to thank the enthusiastic and dedicated team of NHS staff and volunteers, particularly after they set up this new site so quickly following the fire at the Emberbrook Community Health Centre. Seeing the fire damage for myself really brought home the scale of the challenge they overcame.
Thanks to the hard work of the NHS clinicians and volunteers, the vaccination centre is administering 1,000 doses every day. The combined efforts of this operation, the vaccination centre in Walton and other sites across Surrey have meant that over 290,000 vaccinations had been given in the county by 21 February.
It is as a result of this progress, and the great work of local residents in keeping to the COVID restrictions, that the Prime Minister was able to announce a roadmap out of lockdown earlier this week. For now, please remember that it’s still very important to keep observing the rules – stay home, protect the NHS, save lives.