A look inside the Covid vaccination centre at Watford Asda

The hub inside Asda officially opened today and has welcomed its first patients through the doors.

The NHS-led vaccine centre, run by Asda pharmacy staff, is accepting patients who have received letters from the NHS inviting them for a jab, with patients from across south Hertfordshire being invited to the centre.

It is only one of two Asda stores in the country currently running an in-store vaccination centre.

Asda tell us the centre in Watford is here for the foreseeable future and they let our sister title the Watford Observer take a look around to give readers a taste what they can expect if and when they are invited for a jab there.

So how does the vaccination process work at Asda work?

Only people who receive an invitation letter from the NHS can have a vaccine at the centre in Asda.

Once booked in, people can visit either on foot or by car and park in Asda’s car park.

The vaccination centre, open from 8am to 8pm seven days a week, has been set up in the George clothing section of the store, with green and yellow stickers on the floor directing people to the centre from Asda’s main store entrance.

The entrance to the Covid vaccination centre inside Asda Watford. Credit: PA

At the entrance to the vaccination centre, a person is met by a member of staff who points them towards hand sanitiser.

Next up is the check-in area whether patients are welcomed by staff, checked to confirmed they have no Covid symptoms, and then officially booked in.

There is a large open waiting area for when it gets busy with chairs set a distance apart, otherwise patients are directed to the next post which is where the vaccinations take place.

Pictured is the booking-in area at the vaccination centre at Asda in Watford. Credit: PA

Behind the booking area, you can see a large floorspace which is a large and airy waiting area before moving onto the vaccination pods

There are 12 vaccination pods in total, with fully trained pharmacy staff manning each one and other members of stuff overseeing the whole area.

Before the jab takes place, a clinical assessment is undertaken of the patient.

Once the assessment is complete, the vaccine, which is the one manufactured by Oxford Astra-Zeneca, is administered.

A patient receives a jab from a trainer member of Asd'a pharmacy staff inside one of the vaccination pods. Credit: Asda

After the jab takes place, patients follow a one-way circuit out to another waiting area which is the observation room.

At least two staff members were in the observation centre, where anyone who has driven to the centre must wait for around 15 minutes.

There is no obligation to wait for 15 minutes if a person vaccinated has walked or been given a lift.

The whole process should take unless 30 minutes, including 15 minutes in the observation room.

What goes on behind the scenes and how is it going so far?

Vaccination centre staff told us they had around 200 people booked in today, but dependant on supply, they can cater for up to 500 people a day which is up to 3,500 a week.

They are currently seeing people within the top four priority groups, particularly those in their 70s.

It’s not just people from Watford who are being invited to the vaccination centre; patients are coming from across Hertfordshire, and it is a major hub in addition to the one that opened in Stevenage earlier this year.

Phil and Maria from Berkhamsted travelled from Watford for their Covid vaccination centre. They are pictured in the observation room.

Baba Olatawura is one of the pharmacy managers at Asda and has been called in to help run the centre.

His role varies from making sure everything is running smoothly to administering the jabs.

Mr Olatawura explained that the vaccination centre is disinfected every night and set up overnight ready for the next day.

The vaccine supply is checked against the number of appointments booked and all of the pods are made ready for the patients.

There are 12 vaccination pods in total

He said Asda is working very closely with the NHS and how many patients Asda’s sees depends on vaccine supply and the number of patients booked in.

Mr Olatawura said there has been a “really positive response so far” and that staff are looking forward to welcoming more patients.

Patients, some of whom have barely left their home for nearly a year, told us how "easy and organsied" their vaccination experience was at Asda.

Faisal Tuddy, Asda superintendent pharmacist, said: "We want to do all we can to help the NHS get the vaccine to priority groups as quickly as possible so it is great to be able to expand our Covid vaccination service to a second location.

"Many of the people who will attend the store have been shielding at home for months and we hope receiving the vaccine is the first step towards a return to normality for them.

"It is also a proud moment for our pharmacy colleagues in Watford, many of who live locally, and are keen to play their part in supporting the local vaccination programme."