Corby drop-in vaccine centre low on stock after 16 and 17-year-olds grab a jab

All young people aged 16 and 17 in England are to be offered a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by Monday, August 23
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Corby's drop-in vaccine sessions for 16 and 17-year-olds have proved so popular that the pharmacy offering the service cannot offer the ‘grab a jab’ unless booked.

Mr Pickford’s in Spencer Court, Corby, was one of the three locations across the county set up for the drop-ins but parents hoping to grab a jab for their teens were told that there was a shortage of vaccine for the new age group.

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Last week Anna Dorothy, deputy director of the Northamptonshire Covid-19 Vaccination Programme, had expressed her delight to be opening up the first drop-in sessions for 16 and 17-year-olds across the county, adding that previous drop-ins had proven popular due due to their convenience

Inside the centreInside the centre
Inside the centre

Corby's Mr Pickford's drop-in started offering the Pfizer jab on Thursday, August 12, with daily sessions but due to the service's popularity only booked appointments can be completed.

Mimi Lau, chief operating officer at Mr Pickford's, said: "We have seen a significant number of walk-in 16+ over the weekend and earlier in the week (much more than we had expected – showing that the younger cohort will have a vaccine), and we are currently low on vaccine stock.

"As such, we are prioritising bookings over walk-ins for now. The NHS are helping us by arranging more vaccines as a matter of urgency, so we should be fully stocked again very soon.

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"At this point we will be able to offer walk-ins as well as bookings. Furthermore, to help with the current situation, we are signposting people who want to walk-in to other vaccination clinics in the area."

Mr Pickford's vaccination centre in Corby opened in March this yearMr Pickford's vaccination centre in Corby opened in March this year
Mr Pickford's vaccination centre in Corby opened in March this year

Dad Tim Wells from Kettering was surprised to be told the vaccine had run out for the drop-ins. He had be asked by his daughter Harriet, 16, to attend the drop-in service.

He said: "It's lucky I called otherwise it would have been a wasted trip. Harriet is keen to be jabbed before she starts back at school."

Only one of the other county drop-in centres is still offering 16 and 17-year-olds the grab a jab service without booking - the Greens Norton Community Centre near Towcester with sessions tomorrow (Friday, August 20) and Saturday (August 21).

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Preparations are being made to offer vaccinations to people aged 16 and 17 across the county, and those who are not able to attend the dedicated drop-in clinics can expect to be contacted by the NHS soon with details of how to book their vaccine appointments.

Anna Dorothy, deputy director of the Northamptonshire Covid-19 Vaccination Programme had said: “We are working hard to ensure that more vaccination sites around the county will be ready to offer the vaccine to 16 and 17-year-olds very soon, so anyone in these age groups who can’t make it to a drop-in session won’t have to wait long before the NHS contacts them to book an appointment.”

On August 15, the Health and Social Secretary Sajid Javid had announced that all young people aged 16 to 17 in England were to be offered a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by Monday, 23 August 'to give them the vital protection provided by the vaccine before returning to school in September'.

To find out the nearest vaccination centre for people aged 16+ go to www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/covidvaccine.