Nearly 23,000 people across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) have already booked to have a spring Covid jab during the first week of the NHS’s latest vaccination programme roll out.

From this week, Monday 17 April, people aged 75 and over and those aged five and over with a weakened immune system can receive the vaccination free on the NHS. This follows older adult care home residents becoming eligible for the vaccination on 3 April.

Since then, more than 3,500 older care home residents have been vaccinated across BOB by NHS teams.

GP practices, pharmacies and local hospitals are delivering the spring vaccination campaign. Some walk-in centres will also take part and these will be publicised when available.

Alicia Siraj, head of the vaccination programme at NHS BOB Integrated Care Board, said: “It’s great that 25,000 people pre-booked to have their jab during the first week of the campaign going live, with thousands of further slots available daily for the duration of the campaign on the National Booking System https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/covid-19-services/covid-19-vaccination-services/book-covid-19-vaccination/

"We also have local clinics for children with learning disabilities and/or autism which you can find here Winter COVID-19 and flu vaccine - Stay Well (staywell-bob.nhs.uk) These pages are regularly updated as other clinics, including walk-ins, become available.”

She added: “Although we’re learning to live with COVID, the virus is still with us and continues to make thousands of people ill every week. This is why the NHS is offering a further vaccination this spring to those at highest risk of severe illness from the virus.

 “Protection against Covid - either from catching the virus or from a previous vaccination – fades over time.”