Over 34s invited for vaccinations – but appointments may be out of area
People over 34 in Shropshire are being urged to book Covid vaccinations – although some appointments may be out of the county, with a fresh vaccine delivery expected at the end of the month.
Angie Wallace, programme director of the Covid Vaccination Service for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said that if people cannot secure an appointment close to home, they can keep re-checking the booking site – with appointments being added when they are available.
It comes amid reports of people from Telford being allocated Wolverhampton as their nearest location for an appointment.
Ms Wallace's statement does address the situation, outlining the expectation that more vaccine will be delivered to the county later this month.
She said: "The National Booking System via Book a coronavirus vaccination – NHS (www.nhs.uk) shows the nearest appointments available to where people live at the time they book and this might sometimes be out of area.
"In Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, we are expecting more vaccine delivery towards the end of this month and if no suitable appointments are available immediately in their preferred location, people are advised to keep checking on the national booking system as new appointments will be added regularly."
Pace
Ms Wallace said that the progress on the vaccination programme had been effective so far, and added that people under 34 will be added to the eligible groups in the coming days and weeks.
She said: "The Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin vaccination programme has worked at a tremendous pace to protect our local people, with more than 90 per cent of people over the age of 40 having received at least one dose.
"In line with JCVI guidance, everyone over the age of 34, health and care workers, carers, people who are at high risk from Covid-19 and people with a learning disability are eligible to have the Covid-19 vaccination now and this will be extended to younger people over the coming days and weeks."
She added: "We are focusing on ensuring that everyone in the high priority groups – aged over the age of 50, carers, those who are clinically vulnerable and people with a learning disability – have both first and second doses of the vaccine and encourage people in these groups to take up this offer.
"We continue to advise local people to follow the national guidance on social distancing and to use the free lateral flow tests, even after they have been vaccinated.”
