A new national mass vaccination site is opening next week in Slough - and many Buckinghamshire residents aged 80 and over will start getting NHS letters from today (January 16).

Residents will be invited to book Covid-19 vaccination appointments there because they’re around a 45 minute drive from the new site in Salt Hill.

Bucks residents aged 75 and over will also start receiving the NHS letters next week offering them appointments too.

Residents who get the letters can choose whether they want to go ahead and book at a national site or not - all Bucks residents over the age of 80 will be offered a vaccination appointment locally through their GP practice by the end of January so people can decide whether they want to wait for a local appointment instead.

If you do decide to book a vaccine through the national booking system, some residents may be offered a slot at a local pharmacy led site in Buckinghamshire, which is also being run by the NHS nationally.

Locally, GP practices in Bucks have formed eight local vaccination hubs and there are also plans to add an additional local site in the south of the county in the coming weeks.

Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council said: “This shows how capacity to deliver the vaccine is increasing dramatically here in Buckinghamshire. If you’re waiting for your vaccine and are in one of the highest priority groups, it won’t be long now.

"The number of Bucks residents getting their vaccine is increasing with every day and by the end of January every resident aged 80 or above will have been offered a local appointment through their GP.

"The aim is to offer vaccinations to all Bucks residents over the age of 70 by the middle of February and the NHS is well on track to achieve that. Please be assured that all parts of the county are covered by this programme.”

For information and FAQs about the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Buckinghamshire go to www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/covid-vaccine.