A WALK-IN covid vaccination clinic in Reading town centre will continue until Friday, July 9.
The centre, set up in Reading Borough Council’s offices in bridge Street, was originally due to close last week, but it has been extended for an additional seven days.
It is for people to get their first dose of a Covid-19 jab, and is for anyone aged 18 or over who lives, works or studies in Reading.
The council said that more than 3,200 people have been vaccinated in the first fortnight of the scheme.
It is open between 9am and 5pm at weekends and from Monday through to Friday, it will be open from 9.30am through to 8.30pm, and no appointment is needed.
Those coming for a vaccination should bring a mask to wear in the building and, where possible, ID showing they live, work or study in Reading.
The jab is suitable for under 40s and pregnant women.
However, anyone showing any covid symptoms is asked to self-isolate at home and not attend.
There is also no parking on site, however The Oracle and Broad Street Mall’s car parks are within easy walking distance and a number of buses stop around St Mary’s Butts.
Cllr Graeme Hoskin, Lead Councillor for Health, Wellbeing and Sport at Reading Borough Council, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the response to Reading’s walk-in vaccination clinic which is being run from the Council’s Civic Offices.
“In the two weeks the service has been open, more than 3,200 people have come along to get vaccinated.
“We’re pleased to be able to extend this service for another week so even more people can have their first jab.
“Overall uptake of the vaccine in Reading is below the national average. We are therefore appealing to all adults in the Borough to come out and get their first jab. It’s so important to protect yourself, your family and friends, and your communities.”
He added: “We’ve worked with the NHS to set up this great opportunity in Reading, and I am sure we will see a lot more people coming along in the coming days.”
And Sanjay Desai, Associate Director of Medicines Optimisation at Berkshire West CCG, urged people to come forward.
“We know that people who have not been vaccinated are more likely to become ill or even be hospitalised as a result of contracting the Delta variant of COVID,” he said.
“The Delta variant is spreading in Reading and that’s why we’re offering this extra vaccination programme – to ensure people in the most affected areas can be better protected.
“So if you are 18 or over and haven’t had any doses of the vaccine, please do come forward. This will help to reduce the spread of the infection and move us in the right direction to getting life back to some normality.”
More information is available at: www.reading.gov.uk/vaccinenow
People aged 18 and over can also book a Covid-19 vaccination at a mass vaccination centre through the NHS website.
