Mass vaccination centre at Black Country Living Museum closes its doors

The Black Country Living Museum, which was the area's first large vaccination site to open in January, administered its final jabs on Sunday, June 27.

It opened its doors as part of the roll-out of large-scale vaccination centres across the country and since then has been administering first and second Covid jabs to the local community.

It even remained open for vaccinations when the popular museum reopened its doors to visitors in May under the Government's roadmap out of lockdown.

NHS leaders have since thanked the staff and volunteers who have worked at the site for the last six months.

Sally Roberts, chief nursing officer for the Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and local vaccination programme lead, said: "Having the Black Country Living Museum come on board early as our first large vaccination centre has played a huge part in the success of the vaccine rollout across the region, with a remarkable 125,000 jabs delivered to date.

“There’s no doubt that the opening of the site gave us the capability to administer thousands more jabs to local people that wouldn’t have been possible before.

"I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff and volunteers who have spent the last six months working tirelessly to ensure as many people as possible are protected against the virus."

Andrew Lovett, chief executive of the Black Country Living Museum, said: “Hosting the vaccination centre is one of our most important achievements to date.

"The Black Country Living Museum is more than a museum – we are at the heart of our community, and as such we are honoured to have been able support the NHS in delivering tens of thousands of vaccinations so vital to protecting public health.

"All NHS staff, volunteers, and Black Country Living Musuem colleagues involved in running the vaccination centre should be extremely proud of the contribution they’ve made to combatting the spread of Covid-19 and saving lives.”

The focus is now moving to sites which offer maximum flexibility and convenience for people, including pop-up clinics and mobile units.

And anyone who received their first dose at the Black Country Living Museum will be able to get their second dose at an alternative vaccination service.

Ms Roberts added: "People will still be able to book their first or second dose at one of our other local vaccination centres or pharmacies.

"Our drive to get as many people as possible vaccinated still very much continues, and I would strongly urge anyone who hasn’t had their first dose yet to please come forward.”

All adults aged 18 years old and over are now eligible to receive their first dose, while people aged 40 years old and over who had their first dose of the vaccine more than eight weeks ago should now receive their second dose.

For a full list of vaccination sites available across the Black Country, visit blackcountrywestbirminghamcovidvaccine.co.uk/vaccination-services.