THE GP practice in Tenbury is preparing for when it can start to provide Covid-19 vaccinations.

This follows encouraging news about clinical trials of vaccines and the announcement that the Government hopes to have some people vaccinated by the end of the year.

But the immediate concern is the increasing number of cases in the Tenbury area with a plea for vigilance.

In the week ending November 11 there were 19 cases in Tenbury and the surrounding area- an increase in seven from the previous week.

“I would say that numbers are rising and the virus is prevalent,” said Stephen Andrew, practice manager in Tenbury.

“Everyone must play their part in being vigilant and following Government guidelines and rules, self-isolating and social distancing. It is worthwhile remembering we are still in a lockdown situation.”

The priority for the Covid-19 vaccination has still to be determined but it is thought that it will be health and frontline workers first followed by people who are the most vulnerable.

Plans for how the vaccine will be given are still being worked out.

“If at all possible the practice would like to deliver the Covid Vaccine ourselves as a service to our patients, however the practicalities of doing so are very different to the flu clinics and so we are currently exploring options with our Clinical Commissioning Group,” said practice manager Stephen Andrews.

But before then the job of making sure that people who need a conventional seasonal flu vaccine have received one.

This vaccine does not provide protection against Covid-19 but against the seasonal flu that can be very serious for some people.

The first drive through clinic in Tenbury that was held earlier in the autumn on a Saturday morning was very successful with a higher than expected take up. However, it did cause traffic problems in the town.

There are still a small number of people over the age of 65 who have not had the vaccination but these are being given by appointment at the surgery.

Now a second clinic is planned for Sunday but this will be smaller.

It will again be a drive-through and walk-through clinic on the car park by the swimming pool between 9.30am and 3pm.

“This will specifically be for the ‘under 65’s’ who are at risk and or pregnant. Letters of invitation were sent out at the beginning of November to those in this cohort,” added Mr Andrews.

He said that this will be a much smaller clinic for about 900 people compared with the earlier one that involved 3,000.

Steps have been taken to keep any disruption to a minimum by having the clinic for a smaller number of people over a longer period and on a Sunday. The police, and highways agency and Malvern Hills Council are aware of the clinic.