AIREDALE General Hospital at Steeton will be lit up in blue today as part of celebrations marking the first vaccinations of 250,000 people across the district.

The hospital will join other public buildings to celebrate the key milestone in the Covid-19 vaccination programme across the Bradford and Craven district.

Council and NHS buildings will be lit up in blue this evening and overnight to mark the occasion and to recognise the efforts of staff at vaccination sites across the area.

The district-wide vaccination programme has resulted in those greatest at risk being offered the vaccine first, in line with the priority groups identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI).

Karen Dawber, and Nancy O’Neill from the local NHS, who head up the Bradford district and Craven vaccination programme, are using the milestone to recognise the efforts of those involved in the programme as well as issuing a reminder for people to take up the offer of a vaccine if they are eligible.

Chief Nurse at Bradford Teaching Hospitals, Karen Dawber, said: “This milestone is a significant one for all of us as our health and care colleagues, partners and volunteers have worked tirelessly since the first vaccine was delivered in our district on Tuesday, December 15 2020. "Since then we have been indebted to the efforts of NHS staff, our local councils and community and voluntary groups across the area who have all played a vital role in the successful roll out of our programme."

She added: “Across health and care in Bradford district and Craven we are developing a system transformation programme called 'Act as One' and our vaccination programme is a great example of how we have been living these values.”

Nancy O’Neill, deputy accountable officer and strategic director of transformation and change at NHS Bradford District and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “We have worked hard to help people make an informed choice when offered the vaccine and these efforts are paying off. We’ve also been innovative in our programme and recently we became the first place in the country to offer a women’s only vaccine clinic.

“Just because we have hit this milestone doesn’t mean we can relax. It’s really important that people take up the offer of the vaccine when invited to do so. We are particularly keen to remind those who are either aged 50 and above or those who are clinically extremely vulnerable to book an appointment today. It’s really easy you can either call 119 or go online at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus-vaccination.”

People who have had the vaccine are reminded that they still need to follow national Government guidance to protect both themselves and others from Covid-19.

To find out more about the Covid-19 visit www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccine