All Sunderland's housebound patients set to get their Covid-19 jab 'in coming weeks'

Community nurses have now begun to visit Sunderland residents who are housebound, with the campaign expected to continue over a four-week period.

Patients will be contacted directly about their appointment with the team, with their work being made easier as they begin to use supplies of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, rather than the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, which needs to be stored at lower temperatures.

Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said it hopes the move will come as great reassurance for vulnerable people across the city who are unable to get to one of the six vaccination centres in Sunderland or the mass vaccination site at the Centre for Life in Newcastle.

David Chandler, its chief officer and chief finance officer, said: “Our teams have been working incredibly hard to vaccinate patients in Sunderland since mid-December.

"They have made great progress in the first few weeks, vaccinating our over-80 population and care home residents.

“We are now receiving supplies of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine which is more suitable for vaccinating residents at home,as there are significant restrictions to the movement of the Pfizer vaccine due to its storage and handling requirements.

Read more: GP surgery staff are being confronted when asking people to wear masks for appointments

“We know this has been a worry for housebound people and their families, so it’s great news that we can now get this work underway.”

The NHS has said people will be contacted regarding an appointment, and has urged patients to attend their session once it is booked.

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