Covid-19: Derby pharmacist vaccinates dad at community centre

A pharmacist who vaccinated his own father has backed efforts to boost vaccination and debunk myths about the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aftab Rehman, from Pear Tree Pharmacy in Derby, began vaccinations at Ikhlas Community Centre on Thursday.

He said he wanted to vaccinate his 85-year-old father Rehmat Khan - a former stroke patient and diabetic - to "give confidence" to the community.

The centre is one of three community sites in Derbyshire opening for jabs.

Mr Rehman said it was "extremely important" for pharmacists to go to community centres to carry out vaccinations and counter fake news.

"The problem is, via social media, we have misinformation and we have people who want to share conspiracy theories," he said.

"A lot of the vaccinators here will be nurses and pharmacists from the community so people will know them."

"One of the things I'd like to say, in order to give confidence, is my father is 85 years old, an ex-stroke patient who still has diabetes.

"I wouldn't vaccinate my father if I thought there was any risk to him," he added.

Other sites in the county that started offering vaccinations on Thursday are Hatton Jubilee Hall and Horsley Woodhouse Church Hall.

All eligible patients will be contacted via the national booking system.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.