THE first weekend of July saw more than 800 people in Thurrock receive their Covid jab from a walk-in clinic.

Thurrock Health Centre on the High Street in Grays and Chadwell St Mary Health Centre offered vaccinations to anyone walking in who needed them. 600 vacinations took place in Grays and 250 in Chadwell.

Walk-in sessions are the latest offering of the local Covid vaccination programme being overseen by the Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership, which includes the NHS in partnership with local authorities, volunteers, and community groups.

A team of borough-based volunteers including members of St John Ambulance, worked at both centres, mobilised by Thurrock ngage and Thurrock Community and Voluntary Services (CVS). That support by volunteers to help steward the sessions meant local people did not need an appointment or their NHS number to get their jab. They could simply walk in and give their details before receiving a dose of vaccine from NHS clinical workers.

Dr Anil Kallil, GP and Chair of Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "We were pleased to promote and support these sessions at Thurrock and Chadwell Health Centres to make sure as many people as possible knew they were happening.

"It was great to see real partnership approach with Thurrock's voluntary sector, and Thurrock Council who put forward a team of volunteers to encourage take up. Thurrock people turned up on mass and this was very encouraging in helping us to fight COVID."

Vaccine walk in clinics continue this week and next at Stifford Clays Medical Centre and Chadwell St Mary Medical Centre

Full details of local walk in clinic availability can be found via this link