Politically speaking: Yvette Cooper MP calls for more Covid vaccination sites in Pontefract and the Five Towns

In her latest column for the Express, Yvette Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, calls for more vaccination centres for the Five Towns and offers her thanks to frontline health workers.
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The vaccines are coming - but following a steep increase in Covid rates across the country, we need the roll out as fast as possible, and I’m calling for more locations in the Five Towns to make sure everyone is reached.

The government has pledged that everyone over 70, frontline NHS and care workers and vulnerable groups will be offered the vaccination by mid-February, with others to follow after that.

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So we need a practical plan to make sure everyone in our area is covered.

In her latest column for the Express, Yvette Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, calls for more vaccination centres for the Five Towns and offers her thanks to frontline health workers.In her latest column for the Express, Yvette Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, calls for more vaccination centres for the Five Towns and offers her thanks to frontline health workers.
In her latest column for the Express, Yvette Cooper, MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, calls for more vaccination centres for the Five Towns and offers her thanks to frontline health workers.

So far in the Five Towns, Castleford Civic Centre and Kings Medical Centre in Normanton are vaccinating over 80-year- olds – that is really welcome and huge thanks to all those who have been organising the jabs.

Rightly there are plans underway to set up many more vaccine centres – but so far all the additional centres we’ve been told about are in Wakefield.

I’m encouraging the organisers to look at sites in Pontefract or Knottingley too so vaccinations can be done as fast as possible and so people don’t have to travel too far.

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I’ve heard from some worried older residents wanting to know when they can expect their appointments.

Local officials have told me there are many more appointments still to be sent out this week and next. But I’ve asked for clearer local communication on progress so we can make sure no one is missed out.

The government needs to set out plans for the next phase of the vaccine and it’s important that frontline key workers are included.

Those who face increased Covid risks while working hard to keep vital services going must be properly protected.

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Fast roll out of the vaccines is our best way out of this endless crisis. Our NHS is under huge pressures again, treating many more Covid patients with staff really overstretched.

To all those working on the frontline, we owe you a huge debt of gratitude – and you should be getting a proper pay rise too.

Families need more support as well while the kids are off school. I’ve been appalled to hear of big local employers refusing to furlough parents who are having to stay home with children, and forcing them to take unpaid leave instead. That’s completely unfair.

The government needs to take action with employers urgently so families don’t lose out.

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Children and young people need more support too so they can learn from home.

ast spring the government promised thousands of laptops that were never delivered.

Young people can’t be let down like that again. We need urgent distribution of laptops and devices and free internet for streamed lessons.

Wakefield councillors have been working hard to get extra laptops locally and I’ve heard from local companies who want to help too. So please get in touch with me on [email protected] if you need help.

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The brilliant local Community Hubs of volunteers we set up in each town back in March are also still going to help anyone who is shielding or self isolating so please contact them if you need any support.

This is going to be another tough few months for everyone but once again our communities are pulling together to support each other.