This weekend, hundreds of walk-in centres will be open for everyone over the age of 18 to get their first jab. It’s part of the government’s new ‘grab a jab’ initiative to speed up the vaccination programme and fight against the deadly Delta variant. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said:
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We are throwing open the doors of hundreds of vaccine centres across the country this weekend so anyone can just show up.
I urge anyone who has yet to take up the offer to head to their nearest walk-in centre this weekend and get the life-saving jab.
Grab a jab
The pop-up vaccination centres will be set up in football stadiums, theatres, supermarket car parks, and shopping centres across the country. Vaccination buses will also be circling around various areas including Dudley, Colchester, and Ipswich. People do not need to book an appointment in advance, they can simply walk in and get jabbed. Upon vaccination their record will be automatically updated online and they can then proceed to reserve a slot for their second dose through the national booking system.
Additionally, everyone over the age of 40 who received their first jab eight to twelve weeks ago will also be able to get their second inoculation in the same centres.
The specific locations and details of the sites have yet to be disclosed by the NHS, but you will be able to find them on nhs.uk/grab-a-jab.
Fight against the Delta variant
The UK is currently knee-deep in the third wave and experts are predicting that this is not the worst to come. A fourth wave is expected to arrive in the winter as well and the main culprit has been identified as the Delta variant. To combat the deadly effect this virulent strain can have on the country, the government is doing all it can to get every single individual vaccinated. Hancock added:
It’s becoming clearer all the time how effective our vaccines are in protecting against the Delta variant and with three in five people double-vaccinated, we’re well on our way to the whole country getting the fullest possible protection.
