Walk-in appointments available for people yet to have Covid-19 vaccine

Getting vaccinated against Covid-19 in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire has never been easier, with many of the region’s vaccination sites encouraging people to arrive without an appointment.

Venues including the Bath Racecourse, Salisbury City Hall and the Steam Museum in Swindon are among those for which a pre-booked appointment is no longer required.

It is hoped that by removing the booking process, people who may have been putting off getting vaccinated, perhaps due to work, home or other commitments, will find it easier to get protected.

New figures for the region show that while around 85 per cent of all eligible adults have now had a first, second and booster vaccination, tens of thousands of people are still yet to receive a single vaccine.

There are more than 35,500 adults in Wiltshire who are completely unvaccinated against Covid-19, with a further 25,536 in Bath and North East Somerset and 22,847 in Swindon.

This means that around one out of every ten people across the region is without any form of vaccination.

Gill May, Director of Nursing and Quality, said: “In no way do we wish to marginalise those who are yet to be vaccinated, which is why we are doing all we can to make it as easy as possible for people to receive the vaccine.

“Our large vaccination sites in Bath, Swindon and Salisbury, along with many other of our more community-based sites, continue to welcome people with and without appointments who are in need of a first, second or booster dose.

“We understand that some people have concerns about the vaccine, and we are here to help provide clarity and reassurance, but we also know that the majority of people currently very sick in our hospitals are those who have so far not been vaccinated.

“At this incredibly busy time, it’s important we all play a part in supporting our local NHS, and one simple way of doing that is by having the Covid-19 vaccine.”

Those who are due to receive their booster vaccine, which for most people will be a third dose, are also encouraged to make use of the walk-in offers available across the region.

Currently, there are more than 115,000 local people who have had a first and second vaccine, but not a booster, which experts say provides the best protection against the highly transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19.

All sites offering vaccinations without an appointment are listed online at www.nhs.uk, with local walk-in venues also highlighted through the ICB’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Visit www.bswicb.nhs.uk for more information about the local rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, including an extensive list of frequently asked questions.