South West Londoners have told of importance of protecting themselves and others ahead of winter as they received their latest Covid-19 booster jab.
The autumn booster programme launched last month, with people aged 50 and over, pregnant, those at high risk from Covid-19 due to a health condition or a weakened immune system, carers, those living or working in a care home for older people, frontline health and social care workers among those currently eligible for the top-up dose. More than 6.5 million people have already received a vital autumn booster.
Among those receiving the new, variant-tackling vaccinations at Centrale Vaccination Centre in Croydon as part of the autumn booster roll-out were 79-year-old Alexander Nolan and Brian Wolsoncroft, 77.
It will hopefully give me extra protection during this winter, and all those around me.”
Alexander Nolan, 79 from Croydon
Mr Nolan said: “I came to get the extra booster vaccine so that it will hopefully give me extra protection during this winter, and all those around me.”
He added that he would encourage others to “not turn this opportunity down because it will give you more protection as well as your family”.
Mr Wolsoncroft, who found the process quick and easy, said: “I got my booster to protect myself this winter from the different variants going around.
“I get my flu jab every year, so it was important that I got my autumn booster too.”
The process was streamlined and easy, and we were quickly vaccinated.”
Marilyn Aitken from Croydon
Croydon resident Marilyn Aitken said she got the booster “because we want to be protected from Covid during the autumn”
She added: “Those eligible, they should come along and have it done. The process was streamlined and easy, and we were quickly vaccinated.”
We want to keep ourselves and others safe.”
Angeline Jarratt, 60 and Jeremy Jarratt, 71
Angeline Jarratt, 60, who is a carer, and 71-year-old Jeremy Jarratt got their autumn boosters together.
They are considering going travelling this winter and “want to keep themselves and others safe”. They get their flu jabs every winter and “getting the autumn booster is another way of staying safe”.
Book your booster jab
You can book your appointment on the NHS website or by calling 119 as long as it has been three months since your last dose.
You can book your appointment on the NHS website or by calling 119 as long as it has been three months since your last dose.
More than 126 million Covid-19 vaccinations have been administered by NHS staff and volunteers.
In South West London, more than 3.3 million Covid-19 vaccinations have already been delivered since the first Covid-19 jab was given at Croydon University Hospital in December 2020, which was believed to be the first delivered in the capital.