Anyone aged 18 or over will be able to receive a vaccine without advanced booking from this weekend, NHS England has announced.
‘Hundreds’ of walk-in Covid-19 vaccination sites will operate this weekend in England, supported by teams of community outreach vaccinators, it said.
The NHS will be publicising the sites at a local level so that people can receive a jab in between their normal, everyday activities, such as shopping.
The launch of the walk-in sites will be accompanied by a new online service, through which people will be able to enter their postcode to be directed to their nearest centre.
NHSE also said that text messages will be sent to people living nearby who have not had a first dose.
People who use these walk-in sites will be able to book a second dose via the national booking service (NBS).
Second doses will also be available from the sites for people over 40 and under 40, if eight or 12 weeks have passed, respectively.
Last week, the NBS opened to all adults, with more than a third of 18-24 year olds having received a first dose.
Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive, said: ‘With more than 63 million jabs already delivered by the NHS in England, we’re now in a race to the finish line. It’s now easier than ever to get your life-saving jab, and the more of us who are vaccinated the safer and freer we all will be.’
NHS England’s lead for the NHS vaccination programme, Dr Emily Lawson said: ‘If you haven’t yet got vaccinated for whatever reason, this is the weekend to get that sorted and join the tens of millions who have protected themselves and their loved ones from the virus.
‘Please bring forward your second jab if it’s eight weeks or more since your first, when contacted to do so by the NHS, so that you get the maximum protection offered by the vaccines.’
