Large-scale vaccination centres across Hampshire and Isle of Wight to trial walk-in appointment

From tomorrow (Wednesday 24 February 2021), for a trial period of 7 days, eligible people will be able to walk-in for their COVID-19 vaccination at four large-scale vaccination centres across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Walk-in appointments will be offered 7 days a week, between 12.30pm and 3.30pm, at Solent NHS Trust run centres including: Basingstoke Fire Station, St James’s Hospital in Portsmouth, The Riverside Centre in Newport on the Isle of Wight and Oakley Road in Millbrook, Southampton.

The walk-in service is being offered to people in line with recommendations from the JCVI:

• people age 64 and over
• people who have received a letter from the government saying they are at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
• Adults in receipt of Carer’s Allowance

To use the walk-in vaccine service, people will need to arrive at one of the four large-scale centres between 12.30pm and 3.30pm and bring proof of eligibility (e.g. shielding letter from the government, photo identification including date of birth, or Department of Work and Pensions letter for eligible carers, specifying in receipt of Carer’s Allowance). There may be a short wait for people to receive their vaccine.

David Noyes, Chief Operating Officer at Solent NHS Trust, said: “We know that the vaccination programme is our way out of this pandemic. Opening the walk-in appointments at the four large-scale vaccination centres for this group of people will help us to vaccinate even more people with the highest need quicker. We are delighted to be able to offer this service for a trial period.

David continued: “Eligible people can now choose to either walk-in, or pre-book appointments by visiting www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination, where they can choose a time slot and location that suits them, or they can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm, seven days a week.”

People who are carers known to their local authority, or a local care organisation, but not in receipt of carers allowance, can be assured that they will also receive a vaccination. Local authorities will be contacting these individuals to arrange a vaccine appointment for them, please bear with them as they work through this process, they will be in contact as soon as possible.

Whilst visiting the centres, people are asked to follow all the guidance to control the virus and save lives –following the ‘hands, face, space’ guidance.