Now three weeks since England went into its third national lockdown, and with deaths still rising, it is more important than ever for vaccination centres to begin rolling out vaccines to the masses.

Current statistics:

• Between the 18^th and 24^th of January 2021, there have been 8,678 deaths within 28 days of a positive Coronavirus test. This shows an increase of 8% compared to the previous 7 days.
• Despite this, between the 14^th and 20^th of January 2021, 27,531 patients went into hospital with Coronavirus. This shows a decrease of 3% compared to the previous 7 days.

With 30 new Covid-19 vaccination centres scheduled to open this week, and doubtless more launching in the near future, the UK is well on its way to achieving its goal of two million inoculations per week by February.

Currently, the UK has more authorised vaccinations for Covid-19, than any other country in the world. The vaccination is given in two doses, with the second dose being 3 to 12 weeks after the first dose. Across the UK, over 2 million people have already begun the vaccination process, meaning the UK is on track to deliver on the commitment of vaccinating everyone in the most vulnerable groups by mid-February. So far, the most vulnerable groups account for 88 percent of Covid-19 fatalities. From there, we can expand the programme so all adults can be vaccinated by autumn.

NHS staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to vaccinate priority groups in line with the guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

The plan for vaccination centres is to increase the number of sites to more than 2500 locations; meaning that everyone in England will be within 10 miles of a vaccination centre.

As well as mass vaccination centres, the vaccine is being distributed at certain hospitals, local clinics, primary care delivery sites, pharmacies and select GP centres and health clinics.

Of course, with the plan being to increase the number of vaccination centres stationed across the country, specialist equipment is required to ensure a safe and concise location.

There are a multitude of different elements to consider in the production of vaccination sites, and vital equipment which allows for smooth operation for the members of staff, and a safe visit for patients.

For example, clear signage and floor markings are necessary for both site routes and social distancing requirements, high visibility jackets are essential to recognise members of staff and cable wire covers for floor safety. As well as considering safety at vaccination sites, the wellbeing of members of staff and volunteers must be considered- particularly with the opening of 24-hour sites, such as the ones at University Hospitals Birmingham and Nottinghamshire’s Sherwood Forest Hospitals trust.

Hence why we have seen a spike in demand for white goods such as kettles, and for items of cutlery and crockery. As well as weather resistant clothing like gloves and umbrellas, as most Covid-19 vaccination centres are located outside, and many parts of the UK are now experiencing below freezing temperatures and snow.

Technology required

As well as several non-technology products, there are quite high-spec requirements for operating Covid-19 vaccination centres. For example, medical fridges for the storage of the vaccinations. Dependant of which vaccine is being distributed, the three Covid-19 vaccines approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) must be stored under certain conditions.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca and Modern vaccines require freezers or refrigerators. However, the unopened Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine can be stored at centralised distribution centres and transportation units for 10 days at -70±10°C, and in hospitals and other administration centres for five days while refrigerated at 2-8°C.

Obviously, this factor hinders the speed of distribution for the vaccine, and places extreme pressure on the NHS to follow these strict instructions. Not only are they required to source the appropriate medical fridges for that specific vaccine, but also pressured to implement technology like Everyware and Hedera Hashgraph to monitor the cold storage equipment being used to store the vaccines.

Niche Office Solutions Ltd has over a decade of experience within the healthcare sector. Therefore, after a huge influx of orders for vaccination relation equipment, have put together a detailed catalogue featuring all the essentials for Covid-19 vaccination centres. If you require any information on the best medical fridges for each vaccine, advice on cost-effective solutions, or If you wish to view our catalogue, please see below, or call one of our dedicated sales team on 01274965089 for more information.

IT Supplies York

Office Supplies Huddersfield

Office Furniture Harrogate