MEDICS are continuing to push for those who have yet to come forward for their Covid-19 vaccine to do so.
This comes after more than 12,000 people came forward to receive their first dose of the vaccine as part of the Department of Health’s Big Jab Weekend which also saw the mass vaccination centre inside the SSE Arena close for the final time as it moves to a smaller facility in the Arena’s rear carpark.
The funeral also took place in Derry this week of a mother-of-four who died shortly after giving birth. Samantha Willis, 35, who had not been vaccinated for Covid-19, died last Friday.
Paul Savage from Woodbourne Pharmacy on the Stewartstown Road has encouraged anyone that has yet to be vaccinated, but particularly pregnant women, to come forward for their vaccine.
“We have been running the AstraZeneca from the start, then the cohorts were reduced and we couldn’t do any under-40s," he said. "The SSE was starting to take up a lot of patients and with the release of Moderna in Northern Ireland we applied to include that in our vaccination programme. We have been seeing people travel from as far as Portadown and Bangor to the pharmacy to receive their Moderna vaccine.
“There has been a huge amount of misinformation on social media and we have seen it on our own Facebook page where people are anti-vax and are putting out misleading information.
Woodbourne Pharmacy staff on the Stewartstown Road
“We have seen an awful lot of people come in and have their vaccination, particularly women who are pregnant. The research to date shows that there are no safety concerns for Moderna. There have been 60,000 pregnant women vaccinated with this vaccine in England and a couple of hundred thousand in the USA and there have been no safety concerns from that.
“It is understandable that people will be apprehensive with their unborn child but the risks of getting Covid are far, far worse than any risk posed by the vaccine."
A recent study found that the Moderna vaccine was safe for pregnant women to receive.
“Within the pharmacy ourselves, all of the staff are double vaccinated and our families are vaccinated too. We are taking them and we don’t have any concerns. Other than some minor pain around the vaccination site we have been grand.
“We have vaccinated close to 1,000 people at the pharmacy and we have had no major issues.”
Acknowledging that at the start of the pandemic, it was mainly older and more vulnerable people at risk, Paul says that the Delta variant has changed that.
“When the vaccine was first rolled out it was the older population getting vaccinated and the information suggested that it was older people who were at greater risk.
“With the Delta variant there are an awful lot of young people ending up in hospital and the risk of long Covid has been in the news recently.
“When you are vaccinated, yes you can still get Covid but it is not a 100 per cent guarantee that you won’t get it. If you are vaccinated it is less severe and your risk of passing it on is less.
“If the number of vaccinated people in the population increases, then it will protect everyone.”
You can book your vaccine with Woodbourne Pharmacy here.
Those aged 16 or 17 and have yet to receive their first dose are encouraged to attend the SSE vaccination centre in the Waterside carpark or the Royal Victoria Hospital where they will be given the Pfizer vaccine.
Those in this age group can also attend one of the walk-in clinics. While there are no walk-in clinics in West Belfast this week, vaccines will be available at the following pop-up clinics:
Custom House Square Festival (Pfizer):
Thursday 26 August, 10.00 am to 3.30 pm
Friday 27 August, 10.00 am to 3.30 pm
Saturday 28 August, 10.00 am to 3.30 pm
Sunday 29 August, 10.00 am to 3.30 pm
Macrory Church Hall, 130 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GL:
Thursday 26 August,10.00 am to 4.00 pm
Whitla Hall, Queen’s University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN:
Saturday 28 August, 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Sunday 29 August, 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
Those aged over 18 or those who are pregnant or believed to be pregnant are encouraged to receive the Moderna vaccine. While there are currently around 50 pharmacies in the North offering the Moderna vaccine, it is available at five West Belfast chemists:
· Boots Park Centre
· Maguire’s Pharmacy Beechmount Ave
· McAreavey Pharmacy Falls Rd
· McKeever’s Chemist Springfield Rd
· Woodbourne Pharmacy
If you are aged over 40, it is recommended that you receive the AstraZeneca jab which is available at most pharmacies. The following pharmacies in West Belfast are continuing to offer the AstraZeneca vaccine to those who have yet to be jabbed:
· Boots Park Centre
· Coopers Andersonstown
· Coopers Dairy Farm
· Coopers Lenadoon
· Coopers Riverdale
· Fegan’s Chemist, Andersonstown
· Ladybrook Pharmacy
· Laurel Glen Pharmacy
· Maguire’s Pharmacy Beechmount Ave
· McAreavey Pharmacy Falls Rd
· McDonagh Pharmacy Falls Road
· McGettigan’s Pharmacy Springfield Rd
· McKeever’s Chemist Springfield Rd
· McKenzies Falls Road
· Medicare Dunville
· Medicare Falls Rd
· Medicare Maureen Sheehan Centre
· Medicare Springfield Road
· Poleglass Pharmacy
· Turf Lodge Pharmacy
· Woodbourne Pharmacy
