RESIDENTS in and around Winchester who are eligible for Covid-19 vaccine in the new spring booster rollout can now get one at a pop-up vaccination site.
Pharmacy2U, an online pharmacy, is supporting the NHS by offering those eligible a Covid-19 spring booster jab the chance to get one at Winchester’s Park & Ride South Car Park.
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These vaccines are available to people aged 75 years and over, care home residents and anyone aged 12 years or older who have a weakened immune system.
This additional dose should be administered at around six months since the previous vaccine dose to ensure maximum protection.
Jenisha Patel, clinical lead at the Winchester Pharmacy2U vaccination site, said: “It is really vital because the lockdown has been eased and quite a lot of restrictions have been lifted.
"It is important to keep each other safe and if Covid admissions are increasing then it is even more vital to get your spring booster while it is being offered.
“We are also taking a huge strain off the NHS because with Covid-19 cases increasing, especially hospital admissions, and the severity of patients where they can deteriorate, by getting their vaccine that can help prevent that”.
Pharmacy2U has been operating Covid-19 vaccinations in sites across England since January 2021 and has administered up to 1.3m vaccinations in the fight against the pandemic in an effort to help reduce the strain on the NHS.
Staff and volunteers of the NHS have delivered over 118m vaccinations across England, including 32m boosters since the rollout in September 2021.
Sarah Dunford, from Monkwood, who received her spring booster on Thursday in Winchester, said: “I am actually quite relieved because I am immune suppressed and I did actually catch Covid in February.
"I am pretty convinced it would have been worse if it had not been for the vaccinations. So it’s just good to get boosted, any level of protection I can get I am all up for.
"All the time I can keep myself out of hospital with Covid-19 then that’s helping everyone else as well”.
The site is also offering vaccinations to people who have not had their first or second doses, as well as initial booster jabs, and are available to everyone over the age of 12 years old.
A Winchester resident, who did not want to be named, had her first jab at the site. She said: “Everyone needs to get protected. This is my first one, I did not think about it that much before but now when you are travelling and when you have to go through a lot of stuff, there is still a lot of cases, so you have to get vaccinated in order for you to travel”.
The clinic is at Winchester Park & Ride South car park, off the M3 at Junction 11.
Those who want to book an appointment should go to pharmacy2u.co.uk.
The Winchester site is open 7.45am until 8pm on April 8, 13 and 14.
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