England fans urged to boost their own defence and have a shot at Wembley

Fans attending England’s Euro 2020 final against Italy have been urged to use the opportunity to get a Covid jab at the Wembley vaccination centre.

The NHS’s top doctor has urged fans to be a “team player” by getting their vaccination before the game if they have not already had one.

Fans turning up to Wembley will be able to get protected against Covid by dropping in to the centre, which is minutes away from the famous arch.

Professor Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, said: “The NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in health service history, is running throughout the weekend with hundreds of sites offering a walk-in service, so whether you will be cheering on England or have other plans it couldn’t be easier to grab a jab.

“The vaccine is England’s best defence, protecting yourself, your family and your loved ones against Covid, so be a team player and get both your vaccinations in what is a game of two jabs.”

Wembley is not the only football stadium running walk-in vaccination clinics, with Millwall’s The New Den and Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park also joining the national team effort to help inoculate the population during the pandemic.

NHS vaccine services at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, Elland Road Stadium in Leeds and Oxford United’s Kassam Stadium are also available for bookings.

Other sporting venues supporting the NHS vaccination programme include St Helens rugby ground.

The Wembley vaccination site at the Olympic Office Centre will be open from 9am to 7pm on Sunday

The NHS will also air an advert during TV coverage of the Euro 2020 final on Sunday night to encourage people who have not been vaccinated to get their jab.

So far 38 million people have been vaccinated by the NHS – more than 85% of all adults and enough to fill Wembley 425 times.