Sunderland council leader backs Echo Shot in the Arm campaign to let pharmacies offer coronavirus vaccines

A Shot in the Arm – which has already attracted more than 85,000 signatures on its accompanying petition – urges Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock to utilise England’s 11,500 community pharmacies as part of the immunisation programme.

So far only a handful have been granted supplies with around 200 more expected to offer jabs by the end of the month.

Now Councillor Graeme Miller, the Labour leader of Sunderland City Council, has backed the campaign while highlighting the point that many pharmacies are already experienced in administering flu vaccines every year.

Cllr Miller said: “We support anything that helps more of our residents and critical workers, especially those who are most vulnerable, to receive the vaccination.

“Our community pharmacies do a brilliant job in helping deliver the flu vaccine programme each year and we’re looking forward to seeing them playing more of a role in the Covid vaccination programme in the coming weeks and months.

“Their expertise will make a valuable contribution in helping the NHS get the vaccine out to our communities so that we can protect to as many people as quickly as possible.”

Cllr Miller joins Conservative and Liberal Democrat opponents on the council in backing A Shot in the Arm.

Sunderland’s three Labour MPs, Bridget Phillipson, Sharon Hodgson and Julie Elliott, have also supported its aims.

Allowing pharmacies to join the roll-out programme would bring vaccinations closer to the homes of many of the elderly and more vulnerable members of our communities.

It would also help the Government reach its own target of immunising 15 million people by mid-February.

Respected Sunderland pharmacist Umesh Patel, the owner of Leema Pharmacy, in Tunstall Road, has also said: "We could start this within 24 hours if we received the Oxford vaccine.”

To sign the petition, which is run in association with our sister newspapers and websites nationwide, go to www.change.org and search for All pharmacies should be able to play a part in the UK's Covid-19 vaccine programme.

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