Retired dentist on being a key part of St Helens' Covid vaccine volunteer effort

The Totally Wicked Stadium is actually comprised of two vaccine clinics: the mass vaccination centre for anyone in the north west, located upstairs, and a GP-led clinic downstairs.

Supply availability tends to dictate which vaccine patients receive. Downstairs, GPs usually give out the Pfizer vaccine as its fragility means it must be stored in a more specific way than the Oxford-AstraZeneca.

But it very much depends on supply, says Jeanette Livings, senior communications and engagement manager at NHS St Helens CCG.

“The two clinics run parallel with each other,” she explains. “We also have two community pharmacies offering vaccines – one in Bold and one in Haydock. For anyone with allergies it’s recommended they have the AstraZeneca vaccine, and we can facilitate that upstairs so they don’t have to waste a journey.

“I appreciate it can be confusing if people aren’t sure which centre they’re going to, but I think it works together really seamlessly. There’s a lot of mutual aid here going on with vaccine supply – and I imagine if you went to the wrong place in Manchester, for example, your GP service could be absolutely miles away!”

The centre is “as COVID-safe as we could possibly make it,” Jeanette says.

Patients have their temperature taken on arrival and are directed to sanitise their hands, and extra surgical masks are provided for anyone without one. Furniture is regularly wiped down, and the stadium is well ventilated to protect against infection.

Mark Flett was a dentist for more than 40 years before he retired in January 2020.

As vice-chair of the Mid-Mersey Local Dental Committee, Mark got involved as a vaccination volunteer at the St Helens rugby league stadium when the call was put out for experienced clinicians.

Mark Flett was a dentist for more than 40 years before he retired in January 2020

“In my years as a dentist, I’ve probably given in excess of 220,000 injections,” Mark tells the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“There are three sessions each day,” he explains. “From 8am-12pm, 12pm-4pm and 4pm-8pm. I’ll typically do anywhere from 35 to 45 vaccines each day, but the entire centre vaccinates between 900 and 1,200 patients every day.

“The way it works is I have an administrator by my side, who’s plugged into the access system for patients. I’ll put a green sign up that says PATIENT on it, and a patient is guided from the waiting area. We establish who they are and read a list of safety questions to check they aren’t allergic to anything, and that they’re okay to have the vaccination.

“We then administer the vaccine in the deltoid muscle of their left or right arm – depending on whether you’re left- or right-handed, we’ll usually do the opposite arm.

“If something comes up during the safety questions – either an allergy or someone who’s not sure if they’re allergic or not – we’ll call over the overseeing medic and probably advise them to switch to the other vaccine.”

Mark has also perfected his technique for anyone nervous about needles.

Totally Wicked Stadium, home to St Helens\' mass vaccination centre

Saints' stadium houses the vaccine programme

“I’ve had quite a few of those patients, being a retired dentist! When you have a local anaesthetic injection in your mouth, you’re dealing with 2.2ml. The Pfizer vaccine, by comparison, is 0.3ml and the AstraZeneca is 0.5ml – so the amount of fluid going into the muscle is quite small.

"Dishing it out only takes around 2-3 seconds, compared to about a minute for a local dental anaesthetic.

“I usually say I’m going to do the injection in the top of your left arm but I’m going to squeeze your arm first, so you’ll be more focused on how hard I’m going to squeeze, and by the time I squeeze I’ve already inserted the needle and injected the contents.

“The needles are hypodermic as well so they’re very sharp – I’ve had a couple of patients ask when I’m doing the injection when it’s already done!

“Afterwards, patients sit for 15 minutes to ensure they don’t have a reaction. We advise patients before they leave that there might be a bit of discomfort, bruising and flu-like symptoms, but don’t worry about that because it usually clears up within 24 hours.

“However, if there are any concerns that aren’t mentioned on the information sheet we hand out to each patient, we just advise you to ring your GP or call the vaccination centre.”

And the best thing about being a volunteer?

“It’s seeing people, providing a service, and seeing a smile on faces underneath the masks.”

Mark intended to volunteer as a dentist in developing nations with Dentaid after his retirement, but the pandemic threw a spanner in the works.

“Now I want to use my skillset with the other healthcare workers around me to ensure the public are getting looked after as best they can.”