Dons create vaccination centre at their new Plough Lane ground
AFC Wimbledon Football Club have turned their brand new Plough Lane stadium into an Covid-19 vaccination centre, following the lead of Crystal Palace.
The vaccination centre will play a key role in vaccinating eligible residents as well as health and care staff.
Vaccinations will take place in the function room with a view of the ground and will be delivered by NHS staff and volunteers.
The League One club’s Plough Lane stadium, which opened in November, has been altered so that jabs can be done safely and efficiently while allowing people to continue social distancing.
Premier League football club Crystal Palace opened a vaccination centre at the start of February.
Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, GP Borough Lead for Merton, said: “We’re very grateful to AFC Wimbledon for allowing us to use their wonderful new football stadium as a vaccination centre and for giving the NHS such fantastic support.
“The coronavirus vaccines are safe and effective – helping us bring COVID-19 under control and offering realistic hope of a way out of the pandemic.”
Joe Palmer, Chief Executive of AFC Wimbledon, said: “We are really glad to be able to support the NHS and the vaccination programme through the provision of our new event space at the stadium.
“We have unfortunately not been able to use the stadium for its intended purpose throughout the pandemic, so it will be great to make it available for something so essential for its community. Being one of the largest venues in south west London, we hope we will help make a big contribution to the number of people being vaccinated, as well as giving people the chance to experience our exciting new stadium for the first time.”
If you are over 50 years of age, have a health condition that puts you at greater risk or are a carer for someone who is, or if you are a health or social care worker, call 119 now or go online to book your first COVID-19 vaccination appointment at www.nhs.uk. Or search ‘book a COVID vaccination’.
The centre is being operated by appointment only. Only people who are eligible can get a COVID-19 jab:
- people aged 50 and over
- people at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
- people who live or work in care homes
- health and social care workers
- people with a condition that puts them at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)
- people with a learning disability
- people who are a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus.