Two new vaccine centres are now open and delivering Covid-19 jabs to people in the Folkestone district.

The vaccination hub at the Civic Centre in Castle Hill Avenue - home of Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) - opened yesterday.

It is set up in the building's car park, not inside, and will be providing vaccinations for The New Surgery, Guildhall Street Surgery, Sandgate Road Surgery and Manor Clinic.

It will be open seven days a week, 11 hours a day, and is expected to perform over 2,000 vaccinations per week.

It was visited this morning by Damian Collins, MP for the area, and FHDC leader Cllr David Monk.

Mr Collins Tweeted: "Very relieved to see our new vaccination centre at Folkestone Civic Centre up and running smoothly this morning.

"Thank you to...everyone who has worked so hard to deliver vaccines to residents."

The vaccination site at Lydd Airport on Romney Marsh launched today and will be run by Church Lane Surgery, Orchard House Surgery, Oak Hall Surgery and Martello Health Centre.

Volunteers from the Romney Marsh Day Centre are on site to support patients and the NHS team.

It expects to deliver 396 doses today and a similar number each day.

Mr Collins also visited the airport earlier today.

A vaccine site in Hythe has already opened at Oaklands Health Centre, and since opening in December it has given out 4,800 doses.

It us understood plans for a fourth vaccine hub in the district are underway for the former Debenhams store in Sandgate Road, Folkestone - now named Folca.

It is believed works are currently taking place inside to make the building, owned by FHDC, ready for operation.

It comes as residents in the district say they have felt 'left behind' with the delayed delivery of the vaccination, despite the Folkestone and Hythe district having the worst death rate in the country.

Tony Cooper, chairman of the Ashford and Romney Marsh Breathe Easy Support Group, previously said: "There should be an inquiry as to why people in this area are at the back of the line for the vaccine.

"We're first in the country on rate of deaths, last in the queue for vaccinations.

"Older people and clinically vulnerable people, who are more at risk of being seriously ill or dying from Covid-19, should not be worrying about being left out. It is unacceptable."

FHDC says it is 'delighted' to offer its buildings for the vaccine rollout.

Cllr Monk said: "This vaccination programme is crucial to us being able to get back to normal.

"It's important we all take up the offer of this protection and I am eagerly awaiting my own invite to get vaccinated."

Mr Collins added: "It's excellent news that this week sees the start of mass Covid vaccination in Folkestone at the Civic Centre, as well as at Lydd Airport on Romney Marsh.

"I would like to thank all of the NHS staff and our local GP practices for all of their work so far in delivering vaccines to residents."

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