NHS staff have been working to roll out the accelerated Covid booster vaccination programme across South West Hertfordshire.
Last Sunday (12 December), the Prime Minister announced all eligible over-18s in England would be offered a booster dose by the end of this month, to combat the Omicron variant.
Thousands of additional appointments were added to the National Booking Service for the area this week, as walk-in clinics throughout Hertfordshire and West Essex saw significant demand.
Bookable vaccination slots are already available in over 30 community pharmacies, with Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group (HVCCG) advising more pharmacies are due to join the vaccination effort shortly.
GP surgeries are also contacting their patients to come in and be vaccinated when they become eligible.
According to weekly Covid vaccination statistics published by NHS England, the total number of booster jabs administered by HVCCG up to 12 December was 225,912.
In a statement on the drive to increase booster vaccinations Councillor Morris Bright MBE, Deputy Leader of Hertfordshire County Council and Executive Member for Public Health, said: “With cases of the Omicron variant spreading quickly through our communities, I want to issue my reassurance that we as a county council are well prepared to face the challenges that may come, and to keep our vital services running across Hertfordshire.
“Standing shoulder to shoulder with our NHS colleagues and district and borough partners we are doing all we can to support the drive to speed up booster vaccinations, which offer the strongest line of protection against the virus.
“I would personally like to encourage everyone who is eligible to book their booster jab as soon as possible, to protect yourself and those around you."
On Saturday (18 November), government figures revealed that 90,418 new Covid cases were reported across the UK, with 817,625 booster or third doses given in the past 24 hours.
You can get a booster dose if your second Covid-19 vaccine was at least 3 months ago. However, those who test positive for coronavirus will need to wait for 28 days before having their booster.
To find out if you are eligible for a Covid booster vaccine, and to make an appointment using the National Booking Service visit:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/coronavirus-booster-vaccine
For details on walk-in clinics and times see:
https://covid.healthierfuture.org.uk/events/vaccination-walk-in-clinic-times
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