Ramping up Covid booster jabs will be 'huge challenge' but preparations under way

It was announced on Sunday that every adult would be offered the chance to book a booster vaccine by the end of the year in a race to protect the nation against the highly-transmissible Omicron variant.

Dr Charlotte Hart says there is expected to be a rise in the number of clinics held across the region, with the logistics still being worked out.

Volunteers are also being sought to help with operations and she is encouraging anyone interested to contact the Royal Voluntary Service to find out about the opportunities available.

Dr Hart, GP partner at Radbrook Green Surgery and clinical director of Shrewsbury Primary Care Network, said: "It's going to be a huge challenge.

"It makes perfect sense that we need to expand the booster offering to as many people as possible but the surprise element was the timeframe of it all. All the GPs in the county are working out how they can help to support this.

"The clinical commissioning group and pharmacies are doing the same.

"That will take a day or two to happen. We all heard about this on Sunday as well.

"We are asking people to be patient and bear with us. Please don't phone your GP to ask about bookings.

"We are going to have an increase in clinics across the area as the week goes on.

"We are working hard across the system to increase capacity."

The NHS has announced that every area of the country should have vaccine centres available that are open seven-days-a-week.

More pop-up sites will be coming online with local areas looking at the most convenient sites for their communities.

NHS staff are also being redeployed so that they can focus on protecting the entire country as quickly as possible and military aid will be in place in every region across the country to support NHS staff with planning for the extra vaccinations.

The national booking service opened to all those aged 30 and over yesterday and by 9am, there were 110,000 bookings.

It will open up to everyone aged 18 and over from Wednesday.

To find out where walk-in and pop-up clinics are based in the county visit stwics.org.uk/our-priorities/covid-19-vaccination-programme/walk-in-clinic-times.