Asda has opened its second Covid vaccination centre - one week after becoming the first supermarket to administer the vaccine through its in-store pharmacy. The supermarket has partnered with the NHS to transform the George clothing section of its Watford store into a separate and secure vaccination centre with the capacity to deliver over 1,000 vaccines per week – and more if supply allows - to nationally agreed priority groups.
The Watford vaccination centre will open seven days a week and trained Asda pharmacy colleagues will administer the Oxford Astra-Zeneca vaccine. Eligible patients will receive a letter inviting them to book an appointment for their vaccine with the NHS directly and should not contact the store. The opening follows the successful launch of the first Asda vaccination centre at the Cape Hill store in Birmingham where up to 240 individuals from priority groups received the vaccine per day during the site’s first week in operation.
Faisal Tuddy, Asda Superintendent Pharmacist, said: “We want to do all we can to help the NHS get the vaccine to priority groups as quickly as possible so it is great to be able to expand our Covid vaccination service to a second location. Many of the people who will attend the store today have been shielding at home for months and we hope receiving the vaccine is the first step towards a return to normality for them. It is also a proud moment for our pharmacy colleagues in Watford, many of who live locally, and are keen to play their part in supporting the local vaccination programme. Our in-store pharmacies are located at the heart of communities and easily accessible, which makes them a convenient option for priority groups living nearby. We are happy to make more sites available nationally to the NHS in the coming weeks to support the vaccination rollout.”
