Festive shoppers take up booster jab offer at Mander Centre's new vaccination site

Dawn Maydew from Ashmore Park had her booster jab and was in and out within half an hour without an appointment.

The 58-year-old said: "I already safer knowing that I have had my booster. We are so lucky to be able to walk in here and have a vaccine without paying for it.

"It was so easy to get here too, I only work around the corner in Sun Street so having the vaccination centre in the Mander Centre is perfect for me."

Indergit Chahal, aged 56, from Merridale, said: "I've had my booster and am happy it was so fast, no hanging about, waiting on the phone for an appointment, just in and out.

"I want to be as safe as possible and getting the booster is part of that, I got my two vaccinations as soon as I could and I've got the booster as soon as I became eligible."

To qualify for a booster patients must have had their second shot at least six months ago. Shoppers who do not have their NHS number to hand need not worry either, as long as they can remember their name, date of birth and address their vaccination status will be found by two nurses with laptops.

There are 16 staff at the walk in centre which has four vaccination bays and has the capacity to jab hundreds of people a day.

The the empty former Halifax bank on the second floor of the shopping centre was transformed last Thursday.

Manzoor Hussain is in charge of the new vaccination centre.

He said: "We worked throughout Thursday to get the centre ready for Friday morning. We had 64 people on our first day, 104 on Saturday, 126 on Sunday and 146 on Monday. People like the fact it is so convenient.

"We have had a few people who have come in for their first or second vaccination jabs but the majority of people are here for their booster, which people can have six months after their second dose."

The floors are covered in plastic sheeting, like a crime scene, and there is a section for people to fill out their forms, a partition hiding the vaccination bays and a seating area where patients have to wait 15 minutes after their jab.

Senior nurse Ned Nyatanga said: "Turnout has been very good, we are busy, we want people to have their booster jabs and have made it as easy as possible for people. We want to be flexible and that shoppers can just pop in is very flexible."

Black Country and West Birmingham CCG announced they have passed the 250,000 mark for administering booster jabs. Since Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Saturday press conference about the new variant people have rushed to the vaccination centres.

Covid-19 booster vaccinations will be offered in the coming weeks to every adult over 18.

The time between second doses and booster doses will be reduced from six months to three months in response to the changing risk posed by the new Omicron variant of the virus.

The booster jab will be offered in descending order of age, with priority given to older adults and those in high-risk groups. The NHS will call eligible age groups forward in stages and will advise

when they can book an appointment or visit walk-in vaccination sites like the Mander Centre, Walsall's Saddlers Centre or Tipton Sports Academy.

In the meantime, those already eligible are encouraged to continue coming forward for their booster jab ahead of Christmas.

Sally Roberts, Black Country chief nursing officer, said: "We’ve had a bumper week in our booster vaccination programme and it’s fantastic to see so many people coming forward for their vaccine.

"We’re now getting ready to deliver an unprecedented amount of booster doses to adults across the area, following the new government guidelines. The booster jab helps people who have been double-jabbed maintain a high level of protection against the virus, which is particularly important as we head into the festive season.

“The vaccine is the best defence we have and will ensure the most vulnerable people in our community remain protected, so I would urge everyone to come forward for a booster dose when they are eligible."