Epsom and Leicester set to become vaccination hubs after Pfizer jab's approval

Epsom and Leicester racecourses are set to be repurposed as vaccination hubs after a coronavirus vaccine was approved by the UK’s medical regulator on Wednesday.

A mass vaccination programme is being prepared by the government after the Pfizer/BioNTech jab was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), making the UK the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine.

According to the Daily Telegraph, military personnel have been ordered to transform a number of sites into large-scale vaccination hubs within the next two weeks to help with the immunisation programme.

These will include Epsom racecourse in Surrey and Leicester racecourse, alongside other sporting arenas including Bristol City’s Ashton Gate stadium and Manchester Tennis and Football centre. Vaccinations at Leicester will take place in the exhibition centre at the back of the site, according to a racecourse source.

Racecourses have already been used in the fight against the coronavirus with many used as drive-in testing centres earlier in the year.

The vaccine, which is 95 per cent effective according to data from the firm, will be rolled out next week with the UK having pre-ordered 40 million doses. The first 800,000 doses, enough to vaccinate 400,000 people, are due to arrive after the weekend.

Health secretary Matt Hancock, speaking on BBC Breakfast, said: “Help is on its way. From next week we can start rolling this out and we can start with those who are most vulnerable to coronavirus.

"I'm confident now with the news today that from spring, from Easter onwards, things are going to be better and we're going to have a summer next year that everybody can enjoy."

Racing has been operating under biosecure conditions since June 1 and on Wednesday was able to welcome back spectators in England for the first time since March as the country moved from a national lockdown into a tiered system of coronavirus prevention.

The NHS said vaccination sites will be announced "in due course".

Racegoers queue to enter Ludlow on the day courses welcomed back crowdsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Racegoers returned in limited numbers to four English racecourses on Wednesday and Nevin Truesdale, group chief executive of the Jockey Club, hailed the approval of the vaccine as a significant step towards fuller crowds.

He said: “We’ve seen the impact of the pandemic on the communities in which we operate around the country. Today’s vaccine news feels hugely important for the country and a great credit to all involved. It is also much-needed in the long road to recovery for British racing, which relies so heavily on spectators.”

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