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All adults in West Midlands invited for life-saving jab in final push

All adults can now book a life-saving COVID-19 jab vaccine, NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens announced today.

Everyone aged 18 and over is being urged to arrange a jab if they have not had one as the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, the biggest in health service history, begins the final push to protect the country.

Dr Nigel Sturrock, Regional Medical Director at NHS England and NHS improvement in the Midlands said it is just as vital to get your jab now as it was on day one.

The NHS will start to send around 1.5 million texts to people aged 18-20 from tomorrow morning as Dr Nigel Sturrock, Regional Medical Director at NHS England and NHS improvement in the Midlands said it is just as vital to get your jab now as it was on day one.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens announced the move today and hailed the moment all adults became eligible as “a watershed” moment.

Over 3.5 million people in the West Midlands have had their first dose of the life-saving vaccine and over 2.6 million have now had their second dose.

The NHS is geared up for high demand after the first group of people in their 20s to be offered vaccines booked more than one million appointments nationally in a single day.

Today’s milestone comes fewer than 200 days since the NHS made history by delivering the first COVID-19 vaccine outside of a clinical trial to Maggie Keenan in Coventry.

Latest figures show the NHS in England has delivered over 60 million vaccinations just six months after making history when Margaret Keenan received the approved vaccine in Coventry.

Dr Nigel Sturrock, Regional Medical Director at NHS England and NHS improvement in the Midlands, said:

“We’re in the final weeks of this historic drive to get everyone aged 18 and over their first COVID-19 vaccine. Extensive planning and the tireless hard work of staff and volunteers have made the NHS vaccine programme an historic success.

“Now we are delivering a final push to protect the region and it is just as vital now as it was on day one of the programme to get yourself vaccinated – if you haven’t done so already, please play your part and come forward to make your first appointment or your second dose.

“We know that getting both doses is vital to maximising the positive impact of the vaccines, if you’re offered the chance to bring forward your second jab, please do so and most importantly come forward for both appointments, and follow the tens of millions who have already got themselves this essential protection from COVID-19.”

When invited, people will be able to book at one of the 1,600 vaccination centres, pharmacies or general practice sites across the country that are available through the national booking service. Vaccination centres are also available in convenient locations such as mosques, museums and rugby grounds.

Text invitations appear as an alert from ‘NHSvaccine’ and people can book their appointment using the NHS national booking service online at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-COVID-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/

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 updated JCVI guidance.