LEDBURY people seeking a walk-in coronavirus booster jab are being directed to centres as far afield as Birmingham.

A search for walk-in sites near Ledbury on the NHS website suggests a Mosque in Stourbridge and a Hindu cultural centre in Dudley among 10 options, which are all more than 30 miles away.

Meanwhile, those hoping to book an appointment slot will need to travel to Hereford, Bromyard or Kington, with none currently available in the town. 

A spokesman for NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “We appreciate that some people are finding it frustrating and difficult to book a slot for their booster, but we can confirm that vaccine is available across the country to ensure that all those who are eligible for a booster vaccine from six months after their second dose will receive one.”

The CCG spokesman confirmed that boosters can be booked through the National Booking System (NBS) at Elgar House and Day Lewis Pharmacy in Hereford, Kington Medical Practice and Bromyard Community Hall. 

“Appointments are listed on the NBS as the supply is available and these are being taken quite quickly,” he said.

Meanwhile, the vaccination centre at the Three Counties Showground is taking bookings via the NBS website or by calling 119, but is not offering walk-in appointments. A spokesman for the centre said: “We are currently seeing a very high number of bookings, which means we’re unable to offer walk-ins except when we have large numbers of cancellations on any given day. When this happens, we’ll advertise it.”

However, the CCG spokesman said the availability of walk-in sites could change at short notice. “Slots will continue to become available at locations as the vaccine delivery is confirmed so if travelling further for an appointment is not suitable, people can opt to keep checking the booking site for a slot to open at a more suitable location. 

“The site is continually updated with new slots and we encourage people to check back regularly,” he said.

“We are working with other sites across Herefordshire and Worcestershire to increase capacity and add more vaccination appointments to improve local vaccination access for those eligible. Once established these will be available to book on the NBS.”

Currently, the most convenient option for Ledbury residents is to book a slot at Bromyard Community Hall either online or by calling 911. Appointment slots are available tomorrow, November 30, and on December 5, 7 and 11. The centre operates from 10am-1pm and from 2-5.30pm. The centre has said that more dates will be released when available.