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Canterbury Cathedral was rejected as site for Covid vaccinations

16:02, 02 February 2021

updated: 16:07, 02 February 2021

Canterbury Cathedral was put forward as a potential venue for Covid vaccinations but the offer was rejected, it has been revealed.

Bosses at the Dean & Chapter, which manages the world famous landmark, contacted health chiefs at the start of the inoculation programme.

A socially-distanced service being held at the Cathedral back in July
A socially-distanced service being held at the Cathedral back in July

But the offer was turned down as a sufficient number of sites to administer vaccines were already secured.

The city's MP Rosie Duffield said this weekend it would make "perfect sense" for the place of worship to follow in the footsteps of several of other cathedrals and become a jab clinic.

She tweeted to state that the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, was in favour of the idea.

But the Cathedral has today revealed its services were not required.

A spokesman said: "Canterbury Cathedral was offered as a potential vaccination site to NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group at the start of the inoculation programme, but was not required as a sufficient number of sites had already been identified.

Canterbury Cathedral is still open to the possibility of being needed in the future
Canterbury Cathedral is still open to the possibility of being needed in the future

"If the Cathedral can be of use as a vaccination site in the future, we are keen to help."

Read more: All the latest news from Canterbury

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