Birmingham becomes the first city in the UK to temporarily turn into 24 hours Covid vaccination centre. This comes as a piece of welcome news, amid vaccine-related disinformations. It is feared by the NHS that South Asian communities will be gravely harmed by false information and hesitancy towards Covid vaccine.
The Al-Abbas Islamic Centre in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, is set to vaccinate around 500 people every day.
According to the BBC, the Mosque’s imam believes taking an active role in NHS vaccine drive will help dispel misinformation that the vaccine was forbidden in Islamic law.
Sheikh Nuru Mohammed, Imam at Al-Abbas mosque which begun vaccinating today said, “We stepped in with the intention that this will help those people who are not well-informed about the vaccination.
“It will send a strong positive message to the wider Muslim community, not only here in Birmingham, but in the entire country.”
As the NHS’s most extensive immunisation programme continues to accelerate, Life-saving coronavirus vaccinations are being delivered from a cinema and a mosque.
Apart from the Mosque in Birmingham, Odeon cinema in Aylesbury is among dozens of new sites that have started to offer vaccines in the highest priority order.
High Street pharmacies including a Boots and a Superdrug began delivering the jabs last week. Another 65 pharmacy sites are joining the programme this week and early next week with more to come.
Minister for Vaccine Deployment, Nadim Zahawi said: “It’s fantastic to see the vaccine programme expand so fast. Each week the NHS is making it easier for people to get a jab closer to home, in places at the heart of their community from the local pharmacy to the local Mosque.
“I’m pleased another 65 vaccination sites are opening in high street pharmacies this week specifically in areas where the local community may be at higher risk of COVID-19.”
The NHS say that the newly opened site in Nechells will play a significant role vaccinating groups shown to be at higher risk of mortality from coronavirus.
“Muslim scholars advise us to get the vaccine because the sanctity of life is important in Islam.”, quoted the Imam at Al-Abbas mosque.
