Vaccinators dubbed the ‘Pfizer Chiefs’ man jab bus at Latitude

While festivalgoers may expect to see bars and burger vans alongside the music stages, a vaccination bus has been attracting some revellers at Latitude Festival.

The single-decker, staffed by NHS workers, is between the festival campsite and the main arena on the site at Henham Park in Suffolk.

Visitors, aged over 18, can get a first or second dose of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine on a walk-in basis.

Festivalgoer Felicity Perry, from near Norwich and her friend Sophie Edmondson, from Walthamstow both got their second doses of the Pfizer vaccine after seeing a chalkboard sign that said “come and get vaccinated”.

Ms Perry, 39, who works at a research centre said: “I saw the sign, thought it was a joke, thought ‘what’s going on over there’, then we ended up five minutes later having our second vaccines.”

“On a bus,” added 33-year-old civil servant Ms Edmondson.

Ms Perry went on: “It was written on a chalk board – ‘come and get vaccinated’.

“I didn’t expect to see it here.”

Debt adviser Amanda Livesey-Clarke also had her second Pfizer jab at the bus.

“I just thought while I’m here and they’re doing them I might as well get it done now rather than wait another two weeks,” said the 31-year-old, from York.

“I know there’s lots of people, younger people who haven’t had it yet.

“They could be on the fence about it, it could just be really easy to come here and there’s just a bus there.

“It’s really easy, they’re not having to go online, book it through the website, sometimes that can put people off.

“I think this is a really good thing to do.”

Sami Stebbings, from Norwich, said she had “no idea” the vaccination bus was due to be on site and thought it was “great” when she found out.

The 33-year-old, who works for a science education charity, also had her second Pfizer jab.

“As soon as we knew about it I wanted to get it done while I was here,” she said.

“It’s a really good initiative as obviously you’ve got loads of people here and a younger age range as well, so you can reach the 20 to 30s.”

NHS nurse Susan Glegg, who is part of the vaccination team, said some campers have indicated they will return to the bus on Sunday to get their vaccination.

She said they are planning to put on extra staff and are considering staying open later – having opened from 10am to 4pm on Thursday.

“My opinion is we’re going to get a lot on Sunday,” she said.

Asked about people drinking alcohol at the festival, she said: “As long as they have the ability to give informed consent they can have it.”

The 64-year-old, who is calling the team the “Pfizer Chiefs”, went on: “I’ve never been to a festival before.

“I think this is fantastic.

“We were drumming up trade yesterday, we were going round telling everybody that we’re here.

“That was our break. I absolutely loved it.

“I’ve not been here before so it’s very exciting and everybody’s so lovely.”

Ronnie Fisher, workforce co-ordinator for the vaccine team, said 13 people were vaccinated on the bus on Thursday and another 11 had been jabbed by midday on Friday.