A MASS vaccination hub is set to open in Salt Hill activity centre, Slough, this week in an effort to vaccinate millions by mid-February.

From Monday, people aged over 80 who live up to 45 minutes’ drive from the centre are being offered their coronavirus jab.

The activity centre is just one of ten vaccination hubs set to open this week across the country and will be joining the seven existing hubs, alongside 1,000 GP-led surgeries, and more than 250 hospitals already providing the jab.

The ten centres are:

  • Bournemouth International Centre, Dorset
  • Taunton Racecourse, Somerset
  • Blackburn Cathedral, Lancashire
  • Salt Hill Activity Centre, Berkshire
  • Norwich Food Court, Norfolk
  • The Lodge in Wickford, Essex
  • Princess Royal Sports Arena, Boston, Lincolnshire
  • St Helens Rugby Ground, Merseyside
  • The park-and-ride at Askham Bar, York
  • Olympic Office Centre in Wembley, north London

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Slough Observer:

People aged 80 or over who live up to a 45-minute drive from a centre are now being offered the choice of arranging a jab at one of the 17 centres or at a pharmacy site through the national booking service.

Anyone not wanting to travel can wait to be contacted by their GP-led vaccination service or hospital.

Some 641,000 invitations were sent out last week and another 380,000 were due to land on people’s doormats this weekend, NHS England said, with another half a million letters to go out this week.

It comes as the Government urged the public to “play their part” in supporting “the largest vaccination programme in British history”, including helping the elderly attend their appointments.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, around 45 per cent of those aged 80 and over have been vaccinated.

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Throughout this pandemic, I have been in awe of how much the British public has contributed to the fight against the virus. I want to thank everyone for the time, effort and patience they have put in to keep themselves and others safe.

“We recognise that so many people want to support our NHS so health and care workers can continue to save lives, and now is your chance to get involved by helping the remaining people aged 80 and over get their jabs.

“I urge everyone, no matter who you are, what you do or where you’re from, to come forward and take on our three pledges.

“Everyone has a part to play in this national effort – to protect our NHS, our loved ones and other people’s loved ones too.”