A paramedic was the last person to have her jab at the Stithians Showground vaccination centre.

Sarah Watson, a frontline paramedic, received her booster jab, bringing the total up to more than 135,000 doses of the vaccine given at the site.

The service has now relocated to Treliske in Truro, to the Royal Cornwall Hospital Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre.

Sarah, who received a commemorative mug alongside her jab, has provided care to people if they become unwell while attending Stithians Showground for their vaccination.

She said: “It’s a special moment to be the last person to have their jab at the site, and it’s really important to promote how the vaccine is helping us to come through the pandemic. The science is showing that vaccinations work and I think it’s good for the wider public to see and hear that.”

Getting her booster jab also gave Sarah the opportunity to say goodbye to NHS colleagues who she met and has become friends with during her time at the vaccination centre.

She said: “It has been a really positive experience; everybody has been such a team player and it has been great to meet new people who are all dedicated to providing the very best patient care. To be involved in such an important part of people’s lives since the start of the vaccination programme at Stithians has been an absolute privilege.”

When Stithians opened in January, said Sarah, people who had been isolated and shielding for many months ‘walked into the marquee all dressed up, hair done, make-up on and so pleased to see us’

“It was a big event – it was very, very emotional.”

Paul Glover, has been volunteering at Stithians twice a week since February after he saw an advert to help at the site through Volunteer Cornwall and snapped up the opportunity.

He said: “We’ve been here come wind, rain or shine – mostly wind and rain.

One of Paul’s last duties yesterday was to welcome a group of people from Eastern Europe who had booked for their second COVID jab.

"The staff have been marvellous and the people who come for their vaccination want to be here and we have great talks. It has been a really enriching experience and I have thoroughly enjoyed it", he added.

Iain Davidson, clinical lead for the vaccination centre at Stithians, the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge and the hospital hub, and chief pharmacist at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We opened at Stithians Showground on the 25 January, and we have administered more than a 135,000 vaccines at the site - everybody who has dedicated their time and effort to the vaccination programme here at Stithians has felt a bit sad but it is a sign that we are moving onto the next phase which includes the booster vaccines.

“We are relocating to bricks and mortar near the Royal Cornwall Hospital at the Health and Wellbeing Centre, before the autumn and winter hits us. We look forward to welcoming health and care workers and residents who have booked an appointment for their booster jab.

“I would like to reiterate my thanks to all our vaccination teams and volunteers and the showground’s committee, as well as our colleagues across health and care services for their dedication in helping to make the vaccination programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly such a success, but it’s now time to say ‘goodbye from Stithians.’”

Anyone aged 16 or over and health and care workers can book an appointment to have their COVID jab through the NHS booking service or by calling 119.

Those who are due their COVID booster jab will be contacted by the NHS for an appointment once six months have passed from their second vaccine. Those who qualify for a booster vaccine are people:

- living in residential care homes for older adults

- aged 50 years or over

- frontline health and social care workers

- are aged 16-49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 (as set out in the green book), and adult carers

- household contacts (aged 16 or over) of immunosuppressed individuals

- The Hospital Hub will be open for booked appointments for the COVID vaccine between 8am and 7pm.