Streatham mosque opens its doors to support COVID-19 vaccinations in the community
Bringing vaccinations to the local community was a great success with around 230 vaccines being given on the day.
The NHS in south east London teamed up with the South London Islamic Centre to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to community members from all faiths and none in Lambeth, at a new walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic held on Saturday 13 March 2021.
The clinic, run by AT Medics GPs working with Lambeth’s Edith Cavell Surgery, was set up to encourage anyone who is eligible to get their jab in a location that is convenient and familiar to many in the community. Volunteers from the Mosque were on hand as marshals to welcome and support people attending for their vaccination and to ensure safe social distancing is in place.
See below a video about this clinic:
Mohammed A Ijaz, Chairman of the Council of Trustees, South London Islamic Centre, called on people to take up this opportunity to take the vaccine. He said: “Covid-19 vaccinations do not contain pork or any other animal products. They are halal, kosher and vegan friendly. There are no microchips or anything other than the medication in the vaccine. All of the vaccinations are safe and effective, so please take the vaccination that you are offered. You have a duty to protect yourselves and your families, so please accept the vaccination when offered and encourage your friends and family to do so as well.”
The Mosque, which occupies a former fire station building, has provided services to the local community since 1977 and reached out to other faith groups in the area and invited them in for the walk-in clinic.
Local GPs and Councillors supported this clinic
Dr Di Aitken, GP and member of NHS South East London Clinical Commissioning Group’s Governing Body, who has been working on Lambeth’s vaccination programme since December said:
“NHS and community partners have been working hard to give out facts about the vaccine and to reassure people that it is safe and effective. Providing a clinic in the Mosque will boost the local effort and reassure community members who may still be thinking about accepting their vaccine. We are delighted that South London Islamic Centre has opened their doors in such a welcoming way and this is a tribute to the strength of our local partnerships in Lambeth”.
Dr Quraishi, clinical lead and GP on site, said:
“The Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Any vaccines approved for use in the UK must meet strict standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness. The Covid-19 vaccine gives you the best protection against Covid-19. Although vaccines are being administered to millions of people across the country, Covid-19 is still among us and infectious. The risk of catching Covid-19 is the same as ever for people who are not vaccinated. Please take up this offer to protect yourself from the severe effects of Covid-19.”
Councillor Irfan Mohammed, Elected Member for Ferndale ward, said:
“We have all suffered through this crisis. The impact on our lives, our families and our businesses has been huge. Many of us have seen friends, family and colleagues hospitalised with coronavirus. Many of us have lost loved ones. We need to pull together as a community to get through this and the vaccine will help us get back to normal.”
Councillor Jack Hopkins, Leader of Lambeth Council, said:
“Covid-19 has caused real pain and hardship in our borough. The virus has impacted communities throughout Lambeth and we know that this has exacerbated existing inequalities. The Covid-19 vaccine is a genuine ray of hope in these dark times. Grassroots initiatives like this will help to build confidence, reduce vaccine hesitancy and help us as a community to recover. The NHS is working flat-out to deliver the largest vaccination programme in our history, so I would encourage people to take up the opportunity to have the vaccine when offered”
More information
To find out more about the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Lambeth see our COVID-19 Vaccinations page and for more information about the programme in south east London, please visit www.selondonccg.nhs.uk