STUDENT union chiefs have backed the opening of two new Covid-19 NHS vaccination centres at the University of Worcester from early September.
The University has been working in partnership with NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and SW Healthcare to be able to offer the vaccine to students and the local community.
Worcester is believed to be one of the first universities to announce such plans as the drive to continue to vaccinate students continues nationwide.
There will be two sites at the University offering vaccines. The first to open will be a ‘pop-up’ centre for students located at the University’s St John’s Campus, where the University’s main Halls of Residence are located. It will be open to students from early September.
Following this, another centre will open at the former Worcester Royal Infirmary, which now serves as the City Campus on Castle Street. This centre will offer vaccines to both students and local residents.
“Worcester Students’ Union fully supports the University in promoting the ongoing vaccination programme and would encourage both new and returning students who are able to do so, to take advantage of the opportunity to become vaccinated at their earliest possible convenience,” said President Liam Lees.
“We support the University’s work to create an on-campus vaccination centre and will encourage students to access this facility where possible.
“We will continue to do everything we can to support students during the upcoming academic year.”
The University’s Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor David Green CBE DL, said: “Most of our returning students, who have been such excellent volunteers and so many of whom have already been working on the NHS frontline, are already vaccinated.
“But this may not apply to some of our new students and to many young people in the city, so we are delighted to be able to provide this additional opportunity to make it really easy and straightforward to become vaccinated.”
Simon Trickett, Chief Executive Officer for NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCG, said: “This is another important step in the roll-out of the vaccination programme across Worcestershire.
“The fact we are able to offer students a convenient location for them to take up the vaccine will enable our continued success in ensuring our population are fully vaccinated as we head into the winter period.”
