Anfield, home of Premier League football club Liverpool, has become the latest major venue to open as a COVID-19 vaccination centre.
Anfield began welcoming patients to receive the vaccine on Saturday, with the stadium becoming the latest GP-led site in Liverpool. The site will serve as an extension of local vaccination centres already in operation.
All vaccinations will be by appointment only and no drop-in vaccinations will be available. Those invited for a vaccination will be people registered with a GP practice linked to the groups of practices who are using the site.
Dr Fiona Lemmens, a local GP and chair of NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We have been clear that we want to put vaccination centres close to where people live, so that we make it as easy as possible for our communities to get vaccinated when it’s their turn.
“We’re delighted to have the support of Liverpool Football Club for our latest vaccination location. Sport plays such an important role in the life of the city, so it’s really fitting that the club is helping us to protect our population and hopefully look forward to a point in the future when we can see some normality begin to return.
“It’s really important to stress that you can’t just turn up at Anfield or any of our local vaccination services – you’ll be invited to one when it’s your turn. Also, remember that even once you’ve had your vaccination you could still get or spread coronavirus so you need to continue to follow the rules and remember – hands, face, space.”
Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan added: “We are delighted to be supporting the vaccine rollout as part of our continued support of the city and its crucial public health strategy, and we hope that Anfield will be an easily accessible location for people to get their vaccination when they are called.
“From the beginning of the pandemic, we have been committed to supporting our local communities and to bringing a sense of normality back to our city, and hopefully Anfield, again soon.”
Anfield becomes the latest Premier League stadium to open as a vaccination centre. Aston Villa last week detailed plans for Villa Park to be used by the NHS, while Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park and Leeds United’s Elland Road have also been offered up.
In other news, Liverpool’s away match against German Bundesliga club RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League next week will be played at the Puskás Aréna in the Hungarian capital of Budapest.
The relocation has been announced following the German Federal Police’s decision to not allow Liverpool into the country, in line with COVID-19 travel restrictions. Following consultation with UEFA and Liverpool, RB Leipzig have made arrangements for the match to be held at the 67,000-seat Puskás Aréna, which opened in 2019.
The Puskás Aréna is home to the Hungarian national team and will be one of the host venues during this summer’s UEFA European Championships.
Image: Yurificacion/CC BY-SA 4.0/Edited for size
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