Town brought to a standstill after residents all decided to go for flu jabs at the same time

A town was brought to standstill, and police called in to direct the traffic, after thousands of people turned out to get their flu jabs. The Carlyon Road Health Hub in St Austell, Cornwall, held its first clinic at Polkyth Leisure Centre on Saturday.

And the event proved so popular, with more than 3,000 people turning out, that police had to be called in to relieve the gridlock. Lizzy Jayne said: “It was gridlocked. Flu stopped St Austell in its tracks. They need a better place with easier access next year, or stagger the jabs so they’re not all on the same day.”



St Austell Healthcare Group executive manager, Bridget Sampson, said: “Each person got a letter giving the location and a two-hour time slot. Some of them didn’t read the letter properly, while some of them did but disregarded it, so they have to take some responsibility.” She added that 3,360 people received their flu jabs – a process which could have taken up 250 hours of surgery time.

Despite the delays the public response was largely positive. Corinne Kendall-Brown said: “Yes, there were traffic jams but the police got them moving pretty quick – well done to all involved. If everyone turned up before their time slot it’s not the doctors and nurses to blame it’s the people who just went at whatever time they felt like instead of reading the letter that was posted through their door.”