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Londoners aged 25 and over now able to get their COVID jab

The NHS COVID vaccination programme will today open up to London’s adults in their twenties, on the six month anniversary of the first person in London being vaccinated.

Around 770,000 people aged 25 to 29 in London will be invited by text over the coming days.

The move to vaccinate people aged 25 to 29 follows the NHS in London having delivered over 4.5 million first doses of the jab. More than 2.8 million adults have had both doses giving them maximum protection from the virus.

Medical Director for the NHS in London, Dr Vin Diwakar said:

“Getting the vaccine is the single most important step we can take to protect ourselves, our friends and families and our communities against COVID-19 – and thanks to the incredible efforts of NHS staff and volunteers we are now inviting everyone over the age of 25 to come for their life saving jab.

“The offer of a vaccine is for everyone over 25, so if you have an older relative who is yet to be protected too, please encourage them to book an appointment and come forward together.”

The NHS in London is urging everyone who is eligible to take up the offer of a jab at one of the 260 locations across the capital including mosques, sports grounds, shopping centres as well as at local pharmacy sites.

On the advice of the government and Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), people aged 50 and over and the clinically vulnerable are having their second doses brought forward to counter the spread of the Delta variant first identified in India. Nobody needs to contact the NHS, people will be told to rebook if they need to.

GP and Senior Clinical Adviser to the vaccination programme in London, Dr Oge Ilozue said:

“Taking up the offer of vaccination is the best way to protect you and your loved ones and is especially important as restrictions start to ease in London. If you or a friend or relative have any questions about the vaccination, speak to a healthcare professional – we are here to help you.”

The NHS made history when Maggie Keenan became the first person in the world to be protected against coronavirus outside of a clinical trial when she received the Pfizer vaccine at Coventry Hospital on 8 December. Ninety-year-old Londoner George Dyer was the first person to receive a Covid-19 vaccination in London, at Croydon Hospital also on 8 December.

When invited, people will be able to book both jabs at the same time at one of the vaccination centres, pharmacies or GP-led sites across the country that are available through the National Booking Service.

Text invitations appear as an alert from ‘NHSvaccine’, including a web link to the NHS website to reserve an appointment. More appointments are being added to the National Booking Service every day.

People who cannot go online can call the service on 119 instead to book their jab.

People aged 39 and under who are eligible and pregnant women will be offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine in line with recently updated JCVI guidance.