You can now walk in for your jab at Seaforth Village Surgery

Seaforth Village Surgery will be open on Thursday 22 July as a COVID-19 vaccination site for all south Sefton residents who can either walk in for their jab or book an appointment.

The new vaccination site, being run by GP practices in Seaforth and Litherland known as a primary care network, will be offering jabs until the end of August following a successful pilot earlier in the year.

Dr Ken Lamden, a local GP working on the vaccination programme, said: “We’re delighted to be opening up the surgery as a vaccination site for our residents. We ran a short pilot in April when more than 240 people booked appointments for a jab and this was hugely successful.

“We’re making it even easier this time so anyone over the age of 18 can walk in at their own leisure or book an appointment to be vaccinated if they prefer.”

Seaforth Village Surgery will be open for walk-ins or appointments Tuesday – Saturday from 10am to 6.30pm. If people do want to book they can call 07979 938 229 or book via their own GP practice if they are registered with a GP in south Sefton.

Dr Pete Chamberlain, chair of NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “We are reminding everyone that it’s not too late to be vaccinated and there are now several ways to get your vaccination including local pharmacies that you can book through the national booking system along with the walk-in sites and other venues across the borough.

“It is important to have your second dose eight weeks after your first for maximum protection.”

The various other ways you can get your vaccination in Sefton are:

• Visit southseftonccg.nhs.uk for the up to date grab a jab walk-in sites
• Book an appointment at one of the Sefton pharmacy-led vaccination sites or at one of the 1,600 vaccination centres across the country via the national booking service online:nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by calling 119
• Book direct with the Aintree Hospital Hub: aintreeuniversityhospital.nhsbookings.com/v2/#book/service/7/count/1/provider/any/

People who attend a walk-in clinic for their first dose will have their vaccination record updated online and will then be able to book in their second dose appointment using the national booking system.

Second jabs are also available at some of the walk-ins, if it has been at least eight weeks since the first dose and you can check which are offering both doses on the CCG website.

Getting the second dose is vital to getting longer lasting and maximum protection offered by the vaccines, with recent research also showing they are highly effective against the Delta strain of the virus.

Patients are reminded that although COVID restrictions ended in England on 19 July that when they are visiting healthcare facilities they must continue to wear a face covering and follow social distancing rules to protect themselves, other and vulnerable patients and staff.