Boris Johnson in Northampton: Prime Minister thanks hospital staff and volunteers at vaccination centre

During a visit to Northampton, the Prime Minister thanked the town’s hospital staff and volunteers at a mass vaccination centre for their hard work.

Boris Johnson visited the vaccination centre at Moulton Park today (January 6) - where he called out anti-vaxxers on a TV interview.

The Prime Minister then went on to Weston Favell police station where he talked to members of the force about ‘getting more officers on the streets’ and saw ‘fast cars’ and the Safer Nights Out (SNO) van.

To complete his visit to the town, Mr Johnson visited The Chronicle & Echo office alongside Northampton North MP Michael Ellis and South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom.

During an interview with this newspaper, Mr Johnson thanked the staff he had seen at the vaccination centre during what he called a ‘productive morning’, as well as those working at the town’s hospital.

Mr Johnson said: “Northampton General Hospital staff are trying to cope in a very difficult time for the NHS. They are doing an absolutely fantastic job. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart.

“They are rising to the challenge again and they are going to get through this wave just as they got through other waves.

“We need to back them up in all sorts of other ways and help them.”

The Prime Minister added: “The situation will get better and it will get better quite soon.

“It will be tough and we have to recognise that, but it will get better.”

Mr Johnson says the way to ‘help the NHS’ is to get vaccinated.

So far, 47 percent of the Northampton over-12 population have received a booster jab, which is lower than the national average of 54 percent.

“The way forward for everybody is what I also saw today at the Moulton Park Vaccination Centre,” he continued.

“They are doing an incredible job. In that building alone they have administered 282,000 vaccines.

“I just want to thank all of the volunteers and nurses and the army there.

“Northamptonshire as a whole has vaccinated 1.5 million, which is an incredible effort by the people of Northamptonshire.

“Northampton town itself, or parts of it, is where the issues are and the vaccine uptake is low so this is a massive opportunity for those who have not been boosted, or vaccinated at all, to get vaccinated.

“It is a great thing for you and your family and it’s massively positive.

“We’ve got to get vaccinated now and get boosted now.”

As part of the interview with the Prime Minister, this newspaper also asked about the recovery of our high street and town centre, the Afghan resettlement programme and Mr Johnson addressed the Harry Dunn case. More on this to follow.