Six mobile vaccination clinics to visit venues across the Borough

The clinics aim to boost Covid vaccination rates in age groups, and in areas, where uptake has proved low and provide improved access for people who may have found it difficult to get to a designated vaccination centre.

The mobile units, which have the capacity to provide up to 500 vaccinations a day, will stop at the following locations for drop-ins with no appointment needed:

Friday 3 September, NEWTOWN, Newtown Community Resource Centre, Durham Road, TS19 0DE, 10am - 5pm

Friday 3 September, ROSEWORTH, Redhill Family Hub & Library, Redhill Road, Roseworth, TS19 9BX, 10am - 5pm

Saturday 4 September, BILLINGHAM, Low Grange Community Centre Car Park, TS23 3PF, 10am - 5pm

Friday 10 September, PARKFIELD AND OXBRIDGE, Kwik Fit Car Park, Yarm Lane TS18 1LB, 10am-5pm

Saturday 11 September, THORNABY, Thornaby Asda Outdoor Car Park, Allensway TS17 9EN, 10am-5pm

Sunday 12 September, Tesco Extra Car Park, Durham Road TS21 3LU, 10am - 5pm

Anyone over the age of 18 is invited to come along for their first or second Pfizer vaccination, it must be eight weeks between first and second doses, and a team of immunisers and support staff will be on hand to answer questions or address any issues of vaccine hesitancy at each venue.

Dr Janet Walker, medical director, NHS Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: "The COVID-19 vaccination programme has been going really well across Tees Valley but we are aware that in some wards in Stockton only 66 per cent of people that are eligible to receive the vaccine have had their jab and uptake remains the lowest amongst young men aged 18 to 39.

"We hope that by taking these mobile vaccination clinics into local communities, we will be able to reach many more people who may have found it difficult to get to a clinic so far.

"It is really important that we aim to be as flexible and responsive within all our communities and ensure we try to remove as many barriers as possible that prevent people from having their jab and being fully protected against Covid-19."

Councillor Bob Cook, Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: "I would urge anyone who hasn't yet been vaccinated against coronavirus to head down to one of the pop-up clinics at a time that suits them.

"We know that some residents have struggled to get themselves to other vaccination centres, so these mobile clinics will certainly bring an added convenience for many.

"Infection rates across the Borough are still at a high level and getting the vaccine is the best possible form of protection from serious illness."