HEALTH officials are gearing up to deliver covid vaccinations, and booster shots as the MELISSA vaccination bus takes to the road again.
All eligible residents across County Durham are being offered both Covid & booster vaccines this year in a bid to get people fully protected before winter.
Anyone who is yet to have their first or second dose of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine is also encouraged to get on board for their jab.
The MELISSA bus, which can administer up to 500 vaccinations a day, will stop at the following locations for drop-ins, with no appointment needed:
Monday 4th October, Tow Law, Tow Law Community Association, Ironworks Rd, Bishop Auckland, DL13 4AW, 2pm – 6pm
Tuesday, 5th October, Durham, TESCO Extra Car Park, Dragonville Industrial Estate, Dragon Lane, Durham DH1 2XA, 1pm – 6pm
Anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to have their first or second Covid vaccine – it must be a minimum of eight weeks between first and second doses.
Those eligible for the Covid booster include: adults aged 50 years or over, frontline health and social care workers, people aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions, adult carers and adult household contacts of people in at risk groups – it must be a minimum of 6 months between second doses and booster jabs.
If you are aged 50 years or over, have a long-term health condition or are pregnant then you will also be eligible for a flu vaccine.
A team of immunisers and support staff will be on hand to answer questions or address any issues of vaccine hesitancy at each venue.
Kate Huddart, head of medicines optimisation, County Durham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “I would urge everyone who is eligible for a covid vaccination, booster to have them as soon as they can, so that they have the best protection possible going into winter.
“We have a few very challenging few months ahead and we need to protect ourselves and the most vulnerable in our communities.
“If you’re eligible it’s never too late to have a first Covid vaccination and having a booster will help reduce the chances of you, or your loved ones, becoming seriously ill and ending up in hospital.”