Volunteers give up their Christmas Day to deliver Covid booster jabs

Volunteers have given up their Christmas Day to deliver thousands of Covid booster jabs in special centres across England.

NHS England has said that thousands of first, second and third jabs will be given on December 25 as the Government races to boost national immunity against Omicron before the variant plunges the country further into crisis.

Appointments are available in at least eight locations including London, Manchester, Swindon and Eastbourne. However, vaccination centres are not open in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland today or tomorrow.

In London, jabs will be delivered at Redbridge Town Hall and Croydon University Hospital on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

However, most sites in England will remain closed until at least Monday. People are being advised to check the list of walk-in sites, or book an appointment online.

Around 60 per cent of adults in the UK have now received a booster jab, with a record number of vaccinations taking place in the past seven days, according to the NHS. More than 32million boosters and third doses have now been administered.

Jaya Authunuri, who runs the vaccine service at the Medical Centre in Bridlington in East Yorkshire, said the number of jabs being delivered there has increased from 1,000 a week to 5,000 a week since the booster rollout was announced.

Vaccines are being offered between 11am and 12pm for walk-in appointments, though Mr Authunuri said the centre could stay open for an extra three hours if there is significant demand.

‘Christmas is all about giving, giving hope, giving presents etc,’ he told BBC News. ‘When we sat down and thought what is the thing that we can actually give to the community, the doctors and myself we thought giving our time to the community is the most precious gift that we can give and hence we thought we’d open the practice for that basis.’

Another man receives a booster jab at the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre in Eastbourne

A volunteer is seen administering a Covid booster jab to a woman at the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre

People wait in line to receive a ‘Jingle Jab’ Covid vaccination booster injection at the Good Health Pharmacy, north London

Around 60 per cent of adults in the UK have now received a booster jab, with a record number of vaccinations taking place in the past seven days, according to the NHS. More than 32million boosters and third doses have now been administered

Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured, said: ‘Millions of vaccine slots are available through the festive calendar so if you’re not boosted and you get this text, take up the offer and get vaccinated’

Fenil lalji, who is working at the Good Health Pharmacy in North London, said he was helping get jabs in arms after his friend and owner of the pharmacy died with Covid in January.

The Government has announced it will be sending millions of text messages on Boxing Day urging people to ‘get boosted now’.

The message will say: ‘Every adult needs a Covid-19 booster vaccine to protect against Omicron. Get your Covid-19 vaccine or booster.’

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: ‘Millions of vaccine slots are available through the festive calendar so if you’re not boosted and you get this text, take up the offer and get vaccinated.’

Yesterday more than 122,000 daily Covid cases were recorded. ONS figures published on Friday said that around 1.7million people in the UK (around 2.7 per cent of the population) had tested positive for the virus on December 19 – up by more than 368,000 on the figure three days earlier.

ONS chief Sir Ian Diamond said there were ‘indications’ that Omicron was encouraging people to adopt ‘safer’ behaviour, but it was ‘far too early to suggest that we will see anything other than a continued rise’ in cases.

Dr Jenny Harries, the head of the UK Health Security Agency, said findings that Omicron may be less likely to result in serious illness than Delta offer a ‘glimmer of Christmas hope’ but it ‘definitely isn’t yet at the point where we could downgrade that serious threat’.

Boris Johnson has indicated that he could impose fresh Covid restrictions after Christmas if needed. Tougher curbs are being introduced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from tomorrow.

In his Christmas message released yesterday, the Prime Minister encouraged people across the UK to get their booster jabs, describing it as a ‘wonderful’ gift to their families. 

A man receives a Covid booster vaccine at the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre on Christmas Day in Eastbourne

Another man receives a booster jab at the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre in Eastbourne

NHS England has said that thousands of first, second and third jabs will be given on December 25 as the Government races to boost national immunity against Omicron before the variant plunges the country further into crisis

A volunteer is seen administering a Covid booster jab to a woman at the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre

A man receives a Covid booster vaccine at the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre on Christmas Day in Eastbourne

Warning that the pandemic is far from over, Mr Johnson said: ‘Though the time for buying presents is theoretically running out, there is still a wonderful thing you can give your family and the whole country, and that is to get that jab, whether it is your first or second, or your booster.

‘So that next year’s festivities are even better than this year’s.’

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer thanked key workers who have ‘saved countless lives’ this year and paid tribute to the armed forces both home and abroad.  

The Prime Minister added: ‘We have been getting that vaccination that protects us and stops us infecting others. And I hope I can be forgiven for taking pride in the immense spirit of neighbourliness that the people of this country have shown.

‘Getting jabbed not just for themselves, for ourselves, but for friends and family and everyone we meet. 

‘And that, after all, is the teaching of Jesus Christ, whose birth is at the heart of this enormous festival, that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves.

‘And so let’s think of all those who are being good neighbours and thinking of others.

‘All those in the NHS working over Christmas, our care workers, everyone involved in the incredible vaccination campaign.’