Two stops for the vaccine bus this week

The Covid-19 vaccine bus will be making two stops in Wolverhampton this week, as it continues its tour around the city, taking vaccines to where they are needed most.

On Tuesday (29 June) and Wednesday (30 June) the vaccine bus will be at All Saints Community Centre, off All Saints Road, between 2pm and 7pm.

The bus will then move to Low Hill where it will be in Thorne Avenue, off Showell Circus on Thursday (1 July) from 1pm until 6pm, then Friday (2 July) and Saturday (3 July) 12pm to 6pm.

Anyone aged 18 or over can get their first or second Covid-19 vaccines at the bus, without needing to pre-book. Supplies of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines are available and first and second doses are being offered. For people aged over 40 doses must be at least eight weeks apart; for anyone younger the gap should be twelve weeks between injections.

The vaccine bus is being supported by Wolverhampton’s Community Champions who will be visiting homes in the area where the bus is parked, to drop off information, answer questions and let people know the bus is there.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Rising infection rates and the dominance of the more infectious Delta variant of Covid-19 meant that Government’s planned easing of coronavirus restrictions this month was paused.

“This gives more people time to have their vaccine before social restrictions are lifted, so we are using the bus to take vaccinations to where they are most needed, to give protection to as many people as possible, who may otherwise be at risk from serious illness caused by the virus.

“All Saints and Low Hill will be the third and fourth stops for the vaccine bus as it travels to areas of the city with the most vulnerable people or lower vaccine uptake rates. Anyone in the area can come along and get their life-saving vaccinations, without having to make an appointment first; just turn up.”

“You don’t have to wait for the vaccine bus to come to you though. Walk-in vaccinations are also available without needing to book at Aldersley Leisure Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday this week between 4pm and 7pm, or for a confirmed appointment and to save queuing, you can also book your vaccinations online at www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine or by calling NHS 119.”

The Wolverhampton Vaccine bus is delivered through a partnership between the City of Wolverhampton Council and Black Country and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group, supported by local GPs and Community Champion volunteers.

Dr Kam Ahmed, Wolverhampton GP and Covid Vaccination Programme Lead said, “The bus has already visited Blakenhalll and Bilston and I’ve seen a really positive uptake by local people.

“Residents of Low Hill and surrounding areas, I encourage you to take up the offer of your first dose, or your second dose if your first one was over eight weeks ago.”

The latest figures show there were 100.2 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the seven days to 25 June. That means 263 people in the city tested positive for the virus in that seven day period – though the true number of new cases will likely be higher.