PATIENTS are starting getting their third Covid-19 vaccinations at the York jab site.

Professor Mike Holmes who runs the Askham Bar vaccination centre in the city said people are being invited back for their third booster dose of the vaccine now.

He said teams at the centre have been poised ready to start delivering boosters for some time and eligible patients are already coming to get theirs.

He said: “It’s good to see a few familiar faces from way back in December when we launched the vaccination programme – the staff from St Leonard’s Hospice and other health professionals were some of the first to visit us and we will no doubt be welcoming them back again.

“As with the first course - first and second dose - of the vaccine, people will be invited when the time is right.

“The guidance is that people should be offered the booster vaccine no earlier than six months after completion of the first course of vaccination.”

Currently boosters are being offered to all adults aged 50 years or over, frontline health and social care workers, as well as people aged 16 to 49 years who are high risk and adult carers and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.

Prof Holmes said: “It’s really important that York embraces this booster programme in the same way as we’ve rallied together to keep everyone protected so far.

“We need continued protection for those most at risk from Covid as winter arrives.

“At the same time we’re urging people to get their flu jabs and clinics are now up and running at our GP practices, as well as at the York Vaccination Centre and community pharmacies. To make sure people are protected from serious complications of both flu and Covid, we need to get cracking with both vaccination programmes in tandem. Again, you will be invited when the time is right. There’s no need to contact your surgery or the NHS, you will be invited shortly.”

The GP was giving an update on the jabs programme in the city as part of his weekly column in The Press about the city’s Covid vaccination programme, which he coordinates as chair of Nimbuscare.