Sunderland MP urges Sunderland Echo readers to sign A Shot in the Arm coronavirus vaccine petition
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A Shot in the Arm, run by the Sunderland Echo and our sister newspapers and websites nationwide, urges Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock to bring the roll-out programme closer to many people’s homes by utilising the country’s community pharmacies.
At the minute only a handful are offering jabs with another 200 or so expected to join in by the end of the month.
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Hide AdBut extending the use of pharmacies – which are already experienced in delivering flu jabs – would accelerate the immunisation programme and increase the Government’s chances of reaching its own target of 15 million vaccinations by mid February.
Sharon Hodgson, the Labour MP for Washington and Sunderland West, has now signed A Shot in the Arm's accompanying petition and urged readers to do likewise.
She said: “Rolling out the vaccine is our hope of getting back to some kind of normality.
"That’s why I’m pleased to add my name to this petition, calling for local pharmacies to be able to deliver the Covid-19 vaccination programme, and I encourage others to do the same.”
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Hide AdMrs Hodgson joins Labour colleague Julie Elliott, the Sunderland Central MP, in signing the petition with further support for the campaign also forthcoming from Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians across the city.
To sign the petition, which has already attracted more than 25,000 signatures, go to change.org and search for All pharmacies should be able to play a part in the UK's Covid-19 vaccine programme.