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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
PA Reporter & David Flett

Football stadiums and racecourses among nearly 3,000 vaccination sites

Racecourses, Christmas markets and football stadiums will be among almost three thousand sites used as vaccination centres this weekend.

The NHS is “pulling out all the stops” to make it easy for people to get jabs, NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said.

Staff will be vaccinating at about 2,900 places on Saturday and Sunday, said NHS England.

This includes football grounds Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Wembley and three racecourses, Sandown Park, Bath and Chelmsford.

Several Premier League matches have been called off this weekend for Covid-related reasons.

Other venues open this weekend include the Christmas Market at Chester Cathedral, the Liverpool Christmas Ice Festival, Bluewater shopping centre in Kent and London’s Oxford Street where there will be a vaccine bus.

There will also be jabs available around the clock at Morris House Group Practice on Lordship Lane in Haringey, north London, a 24-hour pharmacy on Shady Lane, Birmingham, and Artrix Theatre in Bromsgrove.

Prof Powis said: “From stadiums to racecourses and mobile buses to Christmas markets, the NHS Covid vaccination programme, the biggest and most successful in our history, is pulling out all the stops to make it easier than ever. Thanks to the hard work of our health service staff and brilliant volunteers we have already delivered record boosters so far this week but we want to keep up the momentum so if you haven’t taken up the offer yet get boosted now.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “You can grab a jab from a shopping centre whilst you’re buying presents, or at a Christmas market whilst you’re enjoying the festivities, or at a sports stadium whilst you see the grounds first hand.”

Sandown Park Racecourse is also being opened up as a vaccination centre this weekend (PA Archive/PA Images)

More than 21 million booster jabs have been delivered by the NHS in England so far, NHS England said.

It said many vaccination sites across the country are working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, adding that in every community there should be slots available at least 16 hours a day.

People can get their vaccine by booking online through the National Booking Service or by calling 119, and GP practices are also inviting those who are eligible.

For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.

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