There has been a 'tremendous' response to a call for volunteers as Bridport Medical Centre ramps up its vaccination programme.


As reported, the centre is receiving an increased flow of Covid-19 vaccination stock and is holding regular clinics for residents aged 75 to 79 - the first of which will take place tomorrow.


The centre hopes to be able to vaccinate between 1,500 and 2,000 a day.


It is expected that the area surrounding the centre, including car parks, will be very busy - and residents are advised to plan ahead.


Centre staff put out a call earlier in the week asking for volunteers to act as marshals on the day. They received a 'tremendous' response from the public and quickly filled their quota.


A spokesman for the Bridport Medical Centre Volunteering Team said: "We have had a tremendous response from people wanting to volunteer for vaccination clinics at Bridport Medical Centre  So we now have plenty of people on our list and many more still to contact. 


"It was wonderful to receive so many offers of help."


They are no longer taking on volunteers but will notify the public if they resume doing so.


The additional supply of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will allow the medical centre to vaccinate between 1,500 to 2,000 patients per day, and the team now hope to hold two regular vaccination clinics per week - presuming the delivery of vaccine continues at the same pace.


The team at the medical centre hosted a Q&A on its Facebook page on Wednesday evening, to give members of the public the opportunity to ask questions about the vaccination clinics.


The team answered residents' queries and notified them of work moving forward in the programme. 


They also informed residents that people in the 70 to 75 age range and in the clinically extremely vulnerable category will be receiving notifications of their vaccination appointments in the coming weeks as the centre moves on to phase four of the programme.