Posted: Mon 12th Apr 2021

Wrexham’s MP receives first dose of coronavirus vaccine and urges people to have theirs when contacted

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 12th, 2021

Wrexham’s MP has received her first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and has paid tribute to those involved in the rollout.

Sarah Atherton, the Member of Parliament for Wrexham, received her first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab which she recently said had “already saved thousands of lives through its effectiveness” – at the Llay British Legion.

Following the vaccine appointment, Sarah thanked the staff and volunteers at the vaccine centre and reiterated her confidence in the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

She also repeated her thanks to everyone across the UK that has been involved in the successful rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, from the researchers at the University of Oxford, to the NHS staff and volunteers, and those at Wockhardt in Wrexham who are also involved in the vaccine’s production.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was developed at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute in collaboration with AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish pharmaceutical company.

In the UK, two facilities in Oxford and Keele are producing the vaccine, which is then brought to Wockhardt in Wrexham for the ‘fill and finish’ element.

This involves distributing the vaccine into vials for delivery to the vaccination sites. In total, Wockhardt will manufacture 300 million doses of the vaccine. Earlier this year, the UK Government extended the ‘fill and finish’ contact with Wockhardt by six months to August 2022.

Speaking after receiving her vaccine, Ms Atherton said: “The rapid rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine across the UK has already proved to be the way out of lockdown and restrictions, so I am pleased to have been offered a jab.

“On my return to the frontline last year, I witnessed first-hand the effect of Covid-19 on individuals, their loved ones, and the healthcare system, which makes the success of the vaccine rollout even more important.

“Moreover, with the local connection, I was also excited to have been offered what I, and many others in the area, have been affectionately calling ‘Wrexham’s jab’.

“When invited to a vaccine appointment, I would also encourage everyone to go to their appointment too.”



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