HEALTH and care leaders and vaccine volunteers in the Bath, Swindon and Wiltshire area are gearing up to offer all eligible adults booster jabs by the end of 2021.

In a pre-recorded national address on Sunday night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK "must urgently reinforce our wall of vaccine protection".

This follows a rapid rise in Omicron cases; the Covid threat level was raised from 3 to 4.

During the address he set an end of year deadline for adults to be offered a Covid booster jab.

Responding to the urgency outlined by the Prime Minister; the CCG has announced that all vaccine centres will have extended opening hours.

This will allow the Clinical Commissioning Group to look for new venues to help deliver 18,000 vaccines per day over the coming weeks.

Booster vaccines will soon be available to all adults over the age of 18, providing three months have passed since their second Covid jab.

As before, people are encouraged to pre-book appointments, rather than arrive at a venue without a confirmed slot.

Currently, those over 30-years-old can book their booster online with the opporunity for those 18 and over opening on Wednesday (December 15).

Director of nursing and quality, Gill May said: "We are pulling out all the stops to ensure we meet the vaccination target announced by the government.

"It is going to be an incredibly busy few weeks, and I ask for people to show their support to our already-stretched vaccine teams by pre-booking appointments wherever possible and treating our staff with kindness and respect."

People are reminded to make every effort to attend their vaccination appointment and, where this is not possible, to use the National Booking Service to cancel their slot.

Booster appointments can be booked online at www.nhs.uk and over the phone by calling 119.

Sites that are able to offer walk-in appointments will also be advertised on the NHS website.

Meanwhile, local readers told the Local Democracy Reporter of their experiences of attempting to book or receiving the booster.

Jo Peters said she had tried but was told that she was not yet eligible for the jab.

Many had already received the inoculation top up while others said they want to book in but find it difficult as they do not drive.

"Booster lol [sic] some still need to book second vaccine and can't get anything," Kaz Hardwick wrote.

Lisa Brown said: "All done had to travel as local one is shut can't book for son as no-one can get on booking system been like that since Boris did his speech."