Vaccines by appointment

COVID booster vaccinations and winter flu jags are now being administered by appointment only across Ayrshire.

Health board chiefs in the area have launched their winter vaccination programme, meaning drop-in options are no longer available – either for winter vaccines or for Covid booster jags.

Patients who are eligible for either or both vaccine are now being asked to book an appointment online at nhsinform.scot/ wintervaccines or by calling the national vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s director of public health, Lynne McNiven, said: “Because the winter programme will see large numbers of patients being invited back to clinics to top up their protection levels, we anticipate the venues will be very busy from Monday (September 5).

“Therefore, from next week, we must ask everyone coming to our mass vaccination clinics to have an appointment. This will help us have the right number of staff and indeed the correct vaccine supplies on site to ensure everyone has the best patient experience possible and waits are kept to a minimum.

“If you’re due a dose of Covid-19 vaccine, you can either drop-in this week to a local clinic, or book on for an appointment from September 5 onwards.

“It may be that we offer drop-in vaccinations once again at a later point in the autumn or over winter please look out for local messaging regarding this.”

Ayrshire drop-in options are published at https://www.nhsaaa.net/ coronavirus-covid-19/ covid-19-vaccinationappointments/.

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