PATIENTS in Bracknell have been welcomed today to the first Covid vaccine clinic set up in the town.

Bracknell and Ascot health services joined forces to launch the clinic that will provide the vaccine to help protect locals from coronavirus.

The clinic threw open its doors today at the Sports and Leisure Centre of Waitrose HQ.

The site in Willoughby Road, Bracknell, is usually used for Waitrose staff but has been out of action since the start of the pandemic.

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As such, today health professionals moved in and launched the 'milestone' clinic in the battle back against Covid-19.

Bracknell Forest executive managing director and Covid-19 vaccinator Fiona Slevin Brown said: “On behalf of my colleagues in the NHS, I would like to personally thank Waitrose for their kind donation which has allowed us to kick-start the roll-out of our Covid-19 vaccination programme in the community.

"This really is a momentous milestone and I am grateful to everyone who has been involved in getting today’s clinic up and running, particularly our three Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Berkshire Primary Care who I know have being working tirelessly to ensure the safe delivery of the vaccine."

The vaccine roll-out went live this morning in Bracknell and will see local residents aged 80 and over being vaccinated in line with national guidance.

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It follows the roll-out of a vaccine clinic at Wexham Park Hospital earlier this month to priority and at-risk groups, plus front-line staff.

There are also plans for the vaccination process to cover wider areas and groups including care homes in the coming weeks.

Health professionals urged people not to contact the NHS to arrange an appointment but to wait for an invite. The process is expected to take several months to complete as the UK's largest ever vaccination programme.