JLR opens vaccination centre at Solihull base in pilot scheme
Birmingham and Solihull NHS and Jaguar Land Rover have opened a vaccination centre at the manufacturer 's Logistics Operations Centre in Solihull to pilot an employer vaccination scheme.
The pilot - which assess the feasibility of vaccination in large workplace settings - involves an NHS-run vaccination clinic within the Jaguar Land Rover complex to offer employees, their friends and family and the local community the opportunity to be vaccinated.
Jaguar Land Rover has previously offered first and second doses of the vaccine to around 9,000 employees at its manufacturing plant in Solihull and is now giving boosters - not just to employees but also expanding the offer to friends, family and the local community. The site offers first, second and booster doses without the need for an appointment.
From Monday 20 December until Christmas Eve, the luxury vehicle manufacturer is also loaning vehicles to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council so that it is able to provide free transportation to people from nearby communities who may otherwise find it difficult to get to the facility.
The pilot of the Jaguar Land Rover site will be analysed by the NHS to understand if this model can be expanded to other large employers to help get employees, their families and local communities vaccinated more quickly.
Dr Steve Iley, chief medical officer at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “We 're pleased to be able to support the national vaccination effort by working with Birmingham and Solihull NHS. Getting vaccinated and boosted remains the best thing you can do to protect against getting seriously ill from Covid-19, so we 're encouraging all of our employees, as well as the local community, to come along. ”
The vaccination centre is open every day from 8am - 6pm until 24 December (closes 2pm on 24 December) to anyone over 16 to get their first and second doses, and for those eligible over 18 to have their booster dose. No appointment is needed.
Jane Clapham, lead nurse for the new vaccine centre said: “Working with Jaguar Land Rover and Solihull Council is a really positive partnership and a great step forward in ensuring that a significant number of people have the maximum protection available to them.
“Covid-19 infection rates are going up very quickly, therefore having the vaccine and particularly the booster, is the easiest way to protect yourself and your family as we head into Christmas.
“We now know that having the booster dose can provide up to 75 per cent protection against Omicron so we would urge anyone who is eligible to take up the offer as soon as possible. ”
Vaccinations at the Solihull Logistics Operations Centre will be carried out by the Birmingham and Solihull NHS Vaccination Programme, led by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, to the same safety standards as an NHS venue.
Vaccinations are entirely voluntary; Jaguar Land Rover employees will be able to choose whether or not to have the vaccine.
More than 2 million vaccinations have been administered in Birmingham and Solihull since the programme began in December 2020.
For details of other vaccination clinics across Birmingham and Solihull visit: www.birminghamandsolihullcovidvaccine.nhs.uk/walk-in.