THE NHS is now inviting people aged 40 and over to book in for a "life-saving" Covid-19 vaccination.

Text messages are now going out to 40 and 41-year-olds today allowing them to arrange a jab at the click of a button through the national booking service. Those aged 42 to 44 have already been text this week meaning in total another 2.5 million more people have been invited for their jab.

Text invitations appear as an alert from ‘NHSvaccine’, including a web link to the NHS website to reserve an appointment.

NHS England Chief Executive Sir Simon Stevens said: "With nine tenths of people aged 45 and over having been jabbed, nearly three quarters of a million new appointments were made in just two days as our booking service opened to people aged 42 to 44.

"With second doses also proceeding apace, we're now ready to invite all those aged 40 and over to join the most successful vaccination drive in history."

Since the vaccination rollout began in December, more than 28 million people have been protected with at least one dose in England.

However, it was reported earlier this week that York residents have been struggling to secure vaccine appointments.

A spokesperson for York’s vaccination centre said that when it received more vaccines, more appointments would be made available.