Two mass vaccination sites and several other localised bases will be used to deliver the Covid-19 vaccine in Devon.

The locations of the mass vaccination sites have not yet been revealed - although earlier reports said one would be at the Exeter Chiefs' rugby ground, Sandy Park, on the outskirts of the city. The county council says this has now been ruled out.

But Devon county councillors have been told that detailed planning is under way by the NHS to roll out the approved Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, which will become available in the UK from next week.

The virtual meeting of the full council on Thursday, December 3 heard a report from the member for community, public health, transportation and environmental services, Cllr Roger Croad.

The role of the community health network

He said: "Two mass vaccination sites have been identified by the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), in additional to more local primary care network sites, all of which will be supplemented by the delivery of vaccines in vulnerable settings by local primary care teams.

"Devon County Council is in active in discussions to ensure that our health and social care staff can be vaccinated.

"There is a comprehensive workforce plan to ensure sufficient staff can safely support the programme, and not negatively impact other services.

"We expect existing vaccinators, newly recruited and trained personnel, and volunteers to all have a role to play."

He added: "A system has been approved and the NHS are leading on the subject and not completely up to speed on what they plan to do.

"Sandy Park is to be used as one of the major sites in the county, the last thing I knew."

[H3]It will be a lengthy process{.H3]

Steve Brown, Public Health Director (Designate) for Devon, added: "Mass centres are being planned but that is just one route for vaccines, so there will be other routes of going into care homes, GPs, more localised sites, but the undertaking cannot be underestimated as it's vaccinating the population twice, as it's two doses.

"It is a huge task and even when we get the vaccine, the logistics of vaccinating everyone won't happen quickly but will take months to get through the process for everyone.

"It is a significant undertaking, not to be underestimated."

More than 50 NHS England hospitals are ready to start administering the approved vaccine from next week, including Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

The UK has so far ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, enough to immunise 20 million people.