Reading FC fan is first to be vaccinated at Madejski Stadium

After opening yesterday (February 22), Michael Hinton, 69, from Woodley, and his wife Karen were the first people booked into the vaccination site.

Now the site is up and running it will carry out thousands of jabs a week as part of the roll out of the Covid vaccination programme.

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Michael Hinton was the first person to be vaccinated at the mass vaccination centre

Speaking after his jab, Michael said: “The whole thing's been brilliant.

"Very straight forward and very nice friendly people all along the way, from the minute you arrive at the car park.

"They talked me through it all before giving me the jab and I honestly didn't feel a thing.

"They then made sure I was feeling ok before I left.

"The whole thing was so well done.

"And it was brilliant for it to be happening at the Madejski.

"I love the Royals to bits, my father used to take me when I was younger to the old pitch at Elm Road and now I’m here having my Covid jab at the Madejski, it’s just been a really great experience."

Mad Stad

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Dr Abid Irfan, from Berkshire West CCG, said: "It’s great this mass vaccination centre is now up and running in Reading.

"It means we’ll be able to deliver the jabs at pace and this will play a critical role in the vaccination programme which has been working so well across Berkshire West since the first sites came on stream in December.

"I'd like to thank the project team involved in setting up the Centre which will build on the great work already being done by our Primary Care colleagues across the healthcare system in Berkshire West."