People aged 16 and 17 are able to book their coronavirus jabs through the National Booking Service as the NHS vaccination programme seeks to better protect people ahead of winter.

Almost three quarters of a million young people in England have already received their vaccine thanks to the NHS ‘Grab a Jab’ campaign, where the NHS online site finder helps people find their nearest walk-in vaccine clinic. The online booking service now offers an additional way for people aged 16 and 17 to get a single shot of Pfizer in line with JCVI advice.

NHS staff have already been vaccinating young people at hundreds of convenient sites including Reading and Leeds Festival, night clubs and Thorpe Park.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and Deputy Lead for the NHS vaccination programme, said: “It is fantastic that uptake among young people continues to be strong with well over 700,000 people aged 16 and 17 having had their COVID-19 vaccination, thanks to the NHS ‘Grab a Jab’ campaign where NHS staff have been vaccinating at festivals, football stadiums and beachfronts.

“Alongside getting protected at one of hundreds of walk-in centres across the country people aged 16 and 17 can now also book through the national booking service where they will be able to get an appointment at a convenient local site at a time that suits them. The vaccine is safe and effective and will mean we can continue to do the things we enjoy most as well as giving vital protection to you and your family and friends.”

More than 78 million vaccinations have been delivered and nearly nine in 10 adults have had their first dose since the NHS in England made history when Margaret Keenan received the first jab outside of a clinical trial in Coventry, in December 2020.