96-year-old former doctor is first to get Covid jab at Northumberland vaccine hub

Dr James Mitchell, from Paxton, received his jab at Well Close Surgery in Berwick on Tuesday, December 29.

"I feel like a VIP to be the first to get it,” said Dr Mitchell, who qualified as a GP on the day the NHS was born, July 5, 1948.

Dr Mitchell was a GP for 36 years at Well Close, and then worked at Berwick Infirmary for ten years where he was in charge of the day hospital.

He was full of praise for the scientists who have developed the coronavirus vaccine over just nine months.

“It shows the level of dedication they have that they have been able to produce a vaccine in such a short space of time when it would normally take two or three years,” he said.

Dr Mitchell, who has three grandchildren and five great grandchildren, is also encouraging others to have it.

“I think it’s vitally important that people take advantage of this opportunity to have it, particularly in view of the work done by the scientists and now the nurses,” he said.

Well Close is administering 975 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine over the next two days to patients over the age of 80 from five GP practices – Well Close, Union Brae & Norham, Cheviot, Glendale and Belford.

Hilary Brown, managing partner at Well Close, said: “This is a really historic moment which is going to be life-saving and life-changing so we’re delighted to be able to deliver it to people in the Berwick area.”

Well Close is one of three Covid vaccine hubs set up in north and mid-Northumberland.

The others are at Alnwick Cricket Club and Amble Health Centre.

Patients registered with Alnwick Medical Group, The Rothbury Practice, Gas House Lane Surgery, and Greystoke Surgery will attend for their vaccinations at Alnwick Cricket Club.

Patients registered with Coquet Medical Group, Felton Surgery and Widdrington Surgery will attend for their vaccinations at Amble Health Centre.

Well Up North, a collaboration of 12 GP practices, worked alongside NHS Northumberland Clinicial Commission Group (CCG) on the creation of the hubs.

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