Bolton's vaccination supremo has urged people in the town to continue to take precautions to prevent Covid infection - and to get vaccinated when eligible.
The message from Dr Helen Wall is 'coronavirus restrictions have been lifted, but the virus is still here'.
As Bolton's Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) continues to drive the message home, a range of walk-in vaccination clinics where over-16s can get any dose of the jab without an appointment have been announced.
Dr Wall, senior responsible officer for Bolton’s Covid-19 vaccination programme, said: “Covid restrictions have been lifted but the virus has not gone away. Infection rates are still high in Bolton so making sure that you are fully vaccinated is as important as ever – it provides the best protection against becoming seriously ill and passing on Covid to others.
“The booster jab is particularly effective against the Omicron variant, and offers more protection than just one or two doses, so I’d urge everyone over 16 who is eligible for their booster to get it as soon as possible.
“People also need to make sure that they don’t get caught out if they are planning a foreign holiday or visiting friends and family abroad. You need to be fully vaccinated in many countries; Spain, for example, requires you to have a booster if your second dose was more than 270 days before you are travelling.
“Please check before you travel if you have a foreign trip on the horizon. Even better, get vaccinated now!”
Dr Wall added: “We’ve had people attending our walk-in clinics to ask for these jabs.
“It is great that people are keen to have them, but please be assured that we will let eligible people know how and when they can take up this offer as soon as the details are finalised.”
The vaccination bus will be at Market Street, Farnworth (outside Home Bargains) tomorrow (Saturday, February 26); New Bury UCAN Centre on Wednesday, March 2, and Bolton Interchange on Saturday, March 5. The bus has wheelchair access and is open from 10am-4pm.
Breightmet Health Centre and Waters Meeting Health Centre have been added to the list of walk-in clinics where 12 to 15 year olds can get their first or second doses. They join the sites at Bolton Wanderers, Horwich RMI and Market Place Shopping Centre.
The Government recently announced that all five to 11-year-olds are to be offered a low dose of the Covid vaccine. This is expected to start from April.
Meanwhile, national guidance is still to be issued on plans to offer over-75s, and those who are immunosuppressed, a second booster.
The public are being reminded that the gap between first and second doses is eight weeks for over-18s.
For those aged 12 to 17, the gap between first and second doses is 12 weeks (eight weeks if they are at high risk of becoming seriously ill from Covid or live with someone more likely to get infections).
Over-16s can get their booster jab 12 weeks after their second dose.
Over-18s should wait 28 days after a positive Covid test or the start of symptoms to have any dose of the vaccine, while the wait is 12 weeks for under-18s.
