MP for the Ribble Valley, The Rt Hon Nigel Evans, is encouraging those aged 60 and over to book their vaccinations as soon as possible using the national booking system by visiting www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by calling 119 to book your appointment.
Over 17,000,000 people have now had their first dose of the vaccine in England, and across Lancashire and South Cumbria, the figure is over 550,000, more than a third of the population.
Nigel will soon be joining those who have had their first dose, speaking about the process he said:
“From talking to constituents, it seems that many people still don’t realise that if you are currently over 60, or over 55 from Monday the 8th March, you don’t need to wait for your GP to contact you to get the vaccine. You can book an appointment yourself at one of the many vaccination sites across Lancashire. I booked my first and follow up appointments on Wednesday, and the process was simple and easy.”
“I know some people would rather wait for the GP to contact them, either through preference or necessity. However, for those who are able to, I’d strongly recommend booking an appointment yourself either by calling 119, or by visiting:
https://www.healthierlsc.co.uk/CovidVaccination/appointment
“By doing this you are likely to be vaccinated more quickly, and it helps take the pressure off GPs who many vulnerable patients rely.”
With those aged 55 and over being invited to book appointments from the 8th March, Health leaders in Lancashire are currently aiming to vaccinate all 9 cohorts as defined by the JCVI by the 31st March, well ahead of the national target of the 15th April.
Nigel also thanked all those involed in the rollout, saying:
“The vaccine rollout has been, and continues to be, a huge success story and I am pleased that the pace of vaccinations is set to double in the coming weeks as the vaccine supply grows further. I have been blown away by everyone involved in the vaccine programme, which is literally saving lives on a daily basis.
“Lancashire and South Cumbria have been one of the most efficient areas in rolling out the vaccine, a point I discussed with the Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi when I met him earlier this week. The vaccine programme is the key to preventing deaths, preventing transmission of the virus, and ultimately reopening the country”.