JPIMedia Launches Campaign For Pharmacy Vaccination Centres

Hundreds of JPIMedia titles have launched a campaign calling for local pharmacies to be used as vaccination centres, providing residents with local access to vaccinations.

As the roll-out of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine continues, the Yorkshire Evening Post, Sunderland Echo, the Yorkshire Post, the Portmouth News, the Sheffield Star, Blackpool Gazette and their sister titles across the UK are urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deploy the country’s network of 11,000 pharmacies as front-line Covid vaccine centres.

Laura Collins, editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post said: “Out of the 11,000 available pharmacies across the UK, there is a very limited number of 200 pharmacies currently in use as vaccine centres.

“Thousands of readers have expressed concern over vaccine arrangements. Local pharmacies are highly trusted by their communities — and are convenient to access. Where they do not all have the staff and facilities to provide the jab, the government should urgently provide this support.

“In the fight against coronavirus, accurate, timely, and trustworthy information is important so people know how to conduct themselves. We’re calling to ensure that vulnerable people have the information they need in the communities we serve. They want to know what they should do next and when, and our local titles are rooted in these communities to help support them.”

The campaign also requests further reassurance for local communities from the Government and more easy-to-access information on the vaccine programme and its progress.