The roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine got underway at the West Cumberland Hospital site yesterday. The focus for the first phase of the vaccination programme was on the elderly, clinically vulnerable, care home staff, and front line health care workers. One of those front line staff was Speciality Doctor in Anaesthetics, Dr Rajesh Dhanaliya who works on the Intensive Care Unit at West Cumberland Hospital.
Dr Dhanaliya finished his busy night shift and headed straight to Occupational Health to receive his COVID-19 vaccination. Afterwards he explained he was thrilled to be one of the first to receive the vaccination and urged others to do the same:
“I would recommend the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone. We can only hope that this is the beginning of the end of this pandemic”. When asked what advice he would give to others who are thinking of having the vaccine he said:
“There is so much ‘
fake news’ out on social media around the vaccination, I would ask anyone to stay away from this news, if people do not believe in the effects of COVID-19, I would ask them to take a look at the ITU wards, we have cared for many positive patients who were otherwise healthy before this disease. Please stay safe and vaccinate yourself at the earliest opportunity."
Dr Dhanailya was joined by Mairi Clark, Falls Prevention coordinator who also received the jab yesterday. Mairi was thrilled to be asked to come for her jab and explained:
“I see a lot of elderly and vulnerable patients working across the whole of the Trust, I wanted to have my vaccination to protect those patients and to prevent further spread within our hospitals.”