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Fire Prevention Officer John on frontline at vaccination centres
Published: Wednesday, 24th March 2021
John McIvor, Fire Prevention Officer, is helping at vaccination centres.
Fire Prevention Officer John McIvor, aged 47, of Earby, works for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.
And he is also working on another frontline as part of the team at vaccination centres in Burnley and Blackburn.
Like other frontline service workers he was among the first to be vaccinated himself, having his first injection in January and his second this month.
“I have to be honest I was against having the vaccine at first, as I felt I was fit enough to fight the virus if I got it,” said John.
“But a friend caught Covid who was a similar age and fitness to me and he was really poorly.
“It hit home and made me think.
“My friend had run the London Marathon a couple of years ago, but a month after getting the virus he still couldn’t walk upstairs without getting really breathless!”
Working at the vaccination centres and seeing how grateful all the medical professionals were to get the vaccine themselves was another pointer for John.
He could see that health staff were confident the vaccine was safe and that getting vaccinated made them feel safer.
“Seeing elderly people at the centre was emotional too, as so many haven’t been out for 12 months,” said John.
“I feel extremely grateful to have had the vaccine and to have been working, as so many people haven’t been this lucky.”
Pendle Council is urging everyone to roll up and get vaccinated when it’s their turn and there is information and advice on www.pendle.gov.uk/covidvaccination
Pendle Council’s Chief Executive, Dean Langton, said:
“People like John who work in organisations like Fire and Rescue have played a huge role in helping us tackle this pandemic together, as part of our Lancashire Task Force.
“Exactly a year ago, when we first went into lockdown, John McIvor was part of the team answering calls when we launched our Community Support Hub,” he explained.
The Hub is still there for people who need help and over 80 organisations are involved, with details on www.pendle.gov.uk/communitysupporthub or ring 01282 661743.
Support available via the Hub includes help with mental health and wellbeing, coping with loneliness, help getting food, financial advice for anyone with money worries and help for anyone suffering from domestic abuse.
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