Covid-19: Royal Cornwall Showground 'privileged' to host vaccination centre

A second mass Covid-19 vaccination centre in Cornwall is opening on Monday.

The site at the Royal Cornwall Showground near Wadebridge will initially vaccinate people over 70 and those considered most vulnerable.

The Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association (RCAA) said it was "a great privilege" to be hosting the centre.

It will open a week after the first large scale centre in Cornwall, at the Stithians Showground.

Chris Riddle, RCAA secretary, said: "We are very pleased that we can help with the national rollout and provide a further vaccination site for Cornwall.

"It has been a difficult year for everyone, and the fact that we can give back to our community in this way has been a great privilege."

The order of vaccination will be based on the priority groups set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations.

Iain Davidson, clinical lead for the vaccination centres at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Everyone across health and care, including the emergency services and volunteers, as well as those at the Royal Cornwall Showground, have put in a tremendous amount of effort to enable us to be ready for Monday, and I cannot thank them enough."

People will be sent letters inviting them to book an appointment.

Iain Chorlton, GP and NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group chairman, said: "The vaccination centres will add to the fantastic work that GPs and the primary care network have been doing in recent weeks.

"Cornwall has shown great strength in staying home and protecting the NHS these last 12 months, and we ask the public for their continued support in following national guidelines."

Further information on Cornwall's Covid vaccine roll-out is available on the NHS Kernow's vaccine page.

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your comments and story ideas to [email protected].