One in ten Covid booster appointments missed in Hampshire with 3,750 slots lost in a week as health authorities call for better attendance

People across the county and the island are urged to keep their Covid vaccination appointment or rearrange if needed as figures show more than 3,750 slots were missed in the second week of October alone.

There were more than 500 lost appointments a day.

And the real figure is likely to be far higher as this does not include missed appointment slots at GP practices across Hampshire and Isle of Wight, which record the data individually.

The autumn booster is being given at GP practices, walk-in clinics, community pharmacies, other bookable and walk-in locations, including shopping centres and community centres.

With demand high, a missed appointment can mean others facing a longer wait to get vaccinated, according to Dr Matt Nisbet, GP and clinical lead for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Covid-19

Vaccination Programme.

Dr Nisbet said: ‘We’ve had such a great response to the Covid vaccine programme so far and I can’t thank residents enough. Getting vaccinated if your best form of defence should you catch Covid and we know health services and communities are already seeing an increase in numbers locally.

‘If you are unable to attend your appointment, please cancel it so someone else has the chance to take up that slot. Anyone can be unwell from Covid but people with long-term health conditions, those working in health and social care, and people aged 75 years and over are more at risk from serious illness and its important they have the opportunity to get vaccinated.’

GPs may contact residents to offer the booster alongside their flu vaccine if eligible and it is safe to have both at the same time.

To book a booster, go online through the NHS National Booking Service or call 119.

Pop-up walk-in clinics will run from 10am to 4pm at Somerstown Community Cente on Saturday, October 29, at Cosham Fire Station on Wednesday, November 2, and Cascades Shopping Centre opposite TK Maxx on Saturday, November 5.

A full list of pop-up venues can be found at solent.nhs.uk/covid-19-vaccination-pop-up-clinics.