PEOPLE eligible for a Covid jab will be able to turn up at the Riverside Centre as a "walk in" client.

From tomorrow, Wednesday, for a trial period of 7 days, eligible people will be able to just turn up for a Covid-19 vaccination without an appointment.

Walk-in appointments will be offered seven days a week, between 12.30pm and 3.30pm, at Solent NHS Trust run centres including the Riverside Centre in Newport.

The walk-in service is being offered to people in line with recommendations from the JCVI — those age 64 and over, people who have received a letter from the government saying they are at high risk (clinically extremely vulnerable), and adults in receipt of Carer's Allowance.

To use the walk-in vaccine service, people will need to bring proof of eligibility (e.g. a shielding letter from the government, photo identification including date of birth, or Department of Work and Pensions letter for eligible carers, specifying in receipt of Carer's Allowance).

There may be a short wait for people to receive their vaccine.

David Noyes, chief operating officer at Solent NHS Trust, said: "We know the vaccination programme is our way out of this pandemic.

Opening the walk-in appointments for this group of people will help us to vaccinate even more people with the highest need quicker.

"We are delighted to be able to offer this service for a trial period."

Eligible people can now choose to either walk-in, or pre-book appointments by visiting www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination where they can choose a time slot and location that suits them, or they can call 119, anytime between 7am and 11pm, seven days a week.

People who are carers known to their local authority, or a local care organisation, but not in receipt of carers allowance, can be assured that they will also receive a vaccination.

Local authorities will be contacting these individuals to arrange a vaccine appointment for them, and will be in contact as soon as possible.