Epsom, Leicester to Become COVID-19 Vaccination Hubs

Epsom Downs and Leicester racecourses are set to be repurposed as vaccination hubs after a COVID-19 vaccine was approved by the U.K.'s medical regulator Dec. 2.

A mass vaccination program is being prepared by the government after the Pfizer/BioNTech jab was approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, making the U.K. the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine.

According to the Daily Telegraph, military personnel have been ordered to transform a number of sites into large-scale vaccination hubs within the next two weeks to help with the immunization program.

These will include Epsom in Surrey and Leicester, alongside other sporting arenas, including Bristol City's Ashton Gate stadium and Manchester Tennis and Football center.

Vaccinations at Leicester will take place in the exhibition center at the back of the site, according to a racecourse source.

Racecourses have already been used in the fight against COVID-19 with many used as drive-in testing centers this year. 

The vaccine, which is 95% effective according to data from the firm, will be rolled out next week with the U.K. having pre-ordered 40 million doses. The first 800,000 doses, enough to vaccinate 400,000 people, are due to arrive after the weekend.

Health secretary Matt Hancock, speaking on "BBC Breakfast," said: "Help is on its way. From next week we can start rolling this out, and we can start with those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

"I'm confident now with the news today that from spring, from Easter onwards, things are going to be better, and we're going to have a summer next year that everybody can enjoy."

Racing has been operating under biosecure conditions since June 1 and on Wednesday was able to welcome back spectators in England for the first time since March as the country moved from a national lockdown into a tiered system of COVID-19 prevention.

The National Health Service said vaccination sites will be announced in due course.