People aged 32 and over urged to get vaccine as variants identified in Wolverhampton

Anyone aged 32 and over, or who will turn 32 before July 1, can now book their vaccine appointment.

The vaccine is also available to the clinically extremely vulnerable, people with a learning disability, frontline health and social care workers and people in receipt of Carer's Allowance or who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person.

Residents who are eligible for, but have not yet had, their first jab are asked to get it as a matter of urgency. People are also reminded of the importance of getting their second dose when it is due so that they receive maximum protection against the deadly virus.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “The vaccine is the best protection we have against Covid-19 and it’s good news that anyone aged 32 and over can now book theirs.

“It’s important to remember that, while things are looking much better than they were a few months ago, the virus hasn’t gone away.

"Over 2,000 people a day are still testing positive for Covid-19 and we’ve seen that the new, more transmissable variant of concern first identified in India has led to a big increase in infection rates in other parts of the country.

“Public Health England said at the weekend that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective against this new variant once people have had both doses, so it’s incredibly important people are fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

“If you are eligible and haven’t already, please book your first jab – and make sure you go back for your second dose when it is due.”