Over 62,000 people in the South East have already booked to have a spring Covid jab during the first week of the NHS’s latest, public facing, covid vaccination programme roll out.

From this week, Monday 17 April, people aged 75 and over and those aged five and over with a weakened immune system can receive the vaccination free on the NHS. This follows older adult care home residents becoming eligible for the vaccination on the 3 April.

Since then, more than 16,000 older care home residents have been vaccinated across the region by NHS roving teams.

Caroline Reid, Director of Commissioning and SRO for the Covid vaccination programme for NHS England South East, said: “It’s great that over 56,000 people pre-booked to have their jab during the first week of the campaign going live, with thousands of further slots available daily for the duration of the campaign.

She added: “Although we’re learning to live with COVID, the virus is still with us and continues to make thousands of people ill every week. This is why the NHS is offering a further vaccination this spring to those at highest risk of severe illness from the virus.

“Protection against Covid – either from catching the virus or from a previous vaccination – fades over time.”

If you are eligible for the spring covid vaccination, you can book using the National Booking Service or NHS App.

Text messages and letters are also being sent to those eligible without the app or who do not actively use it.

The total number of Covid vaccinations administered across the South East since the start of the programme in December 2020, exceeds 20 million. This includes vaccinating over 804,000 people who came forward for their spring Covid vaccination last year.

The NHS is advising those invited, or making a booking, to make sure their appointment takes place at least three months after their last dose.

Anyone who believes they should be eligible for a vaccine but does not get invited can check online. Alternatively, they can self-declare via the National Booking Service and then speak to a clinician on site.

The last spring vaccination appointments will be offered on 30 June. Anyone who turns 75 before then is eligible.

Covid-19 vaccinations for everyone who was aged 5 on or before 31 August 2022 will also end after that date, following recent advice from the JCVI. After 30 June, the NHS offer will become more targeted to those at increased risk, usually during seasonal campaigns.