Colleague training and clinical preparations are underway at Boots’ first vaccination site in Halifax, due to open later this week.

The first Boots mass vaccination site, which will be administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will operate from purpose-built facilities in its Halifax pharmacy. Two additional vaccination sites in Huddersfield and Gloucester will also open in the near future, and discussions are underway on the potential to expand this to more mass vaccination sites in the coming months, which would greatly support NHS capacity.

Boots has extensive knowledge, experience and proven capability in vaccination services making it a perfect partner to support the NHS in delivering the vaccine across the UK. Boots has set up specialist centres in its pharmacies which allow the COVID-19 vaccine to be administered by pharmacists and ensures that exceptional safety, clinical and operational standards are met while achieving the vaccination of at least 1,000 patients per site each week.

Patients will be provided the option to book their vaccination appointment through the NHS booking system, once it is open.

Seb James, Managing Director of Boots UK and ROI, said: “Boots has already conducted over two million COVID-19 tests on behalf of the NHS and now we are proud to play our part in vaccinating the nation. Our vaccination sites are clean, clinical environments, in accessible, convenient locations, like high streets, and we have extensive experience in vaccination services, having carried out over a million flu vaccinations in this winter flu season alone. We hope to help the NHS and enable more people to get the vaccination quickly. I am incredibly thankful for the whole team’s support in helping make this happen.”