NHS website crashes after Covid-19 vaccine opened up to over-45s

As per the website, over-45s can now book a Covid-19 vaccine, marking the start of ‘Phase 2’ of the vaccination programme – which involves offering vaccines to healthy adults under the age of 50.

Until now the NHS in England had been focusing on offering vaccines to those at highest risk including people over the age of 50 and people deemed to be ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’.

A message on the website said: ‘The NHS website is currently experiencing technical difficulties.

‘We are working to resolve these issues. Thank you for your patience.’

Other users reported being placed in a queue, with a holding screen which read: ‘You are in a queue. Lots of people trying to book an appointment.’

The news comes as Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said that, despite the success of the UK vaccine rollout, people should not assume the country is on a ‘one-way, inexorable, inevitable track to it all being fantastic’.

Speaking to Sky News, he said: ‘I know I might sound a bit like a prophet of doom the day after we’ve started enabling people to go back to the pub garden, but the reality is there are really good reasons why we need to be cautious here.

‘We need everyone to put their own personal pedal to the metal and ensure they follow the rules.’

To book a vaccination, anyone who is eligible can go to the NHS website.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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