COVID-19 booster programme speeds up in Devon
=============================================

**The NHS in Devon is rising to the challenge of [offering every adult in the county the COVID-19 booster vaccine by the end of December](https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMTcuNTA0ODEzMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2Rldm9uY2NnLm5ocy51ay9uZXdzL2Rldm9uLXJlc2lkZW50cy11cmdlZC1nZXQtYm9vc3RlZC1ub3cifQ.LdxyL0v_RunUKrqQRApmbdVWDSJ0GiYxnelj8ALie_A%2Fs%2F172374962%2Fbr%2F123339416088-l&data=04%7C01%7Cmike.bomford%40devon.gov.uk%7C0bce3a296dc24b13ac4808d9c17b860a%7C8da13783cb68443fbb4b997f77fd5bfb%7C0%7C0%7C637753558813005457%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=mWNh8h6e%2F19WOwHcXZtV2%2BEUhTZ3i9SNeYfyv1HaUwA%3D&reserved=0) as quickly and safely as possible to try to limit the impact of the Omicron variant**.

They’ve increased the opening hours and days of operation of their vaccine sites (with some open until 2.00am!), opening up additional GP and pharmacy sites, and increasing the number of walk-in and pop-up sessions.

Recent data suggests that the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine against symptomatic infection is substantially reduced, especially with the Omicron variant, with just two doses, but a third dose boosts protection back up to over 70 per cent, so it’s important to have.

Additional [appointments are regularly being added to the national booking service](https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMTcuNTA0ODEzMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5uaHMudWsvY29uZGl0aW9ucy9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1jb3ZpZC0xOS9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy12YWNjaW5hdGlvbi9ib29rLWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLXZhY2NpbmF0aW9uLyJ9.gw4fizeD4IFnh4iiqyC7Tk_B3qQv7T_05aZkUp3cILA%2Fs%2F172374962%2Fbr%2F123339416088-l&data=04%7C01%7Cmike.bomford%40devon.gov.uk%7C0bce3a296dc24b13ac4808d9c17b860a%7C8da13783cb68443fbb4b997f77fd5bfb%7C0%7C0%7C637753558813015416%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=Lir1fJCTHHVBIgw0JLCqA%2FFtJtPzLsojqhW%2BE%2BvIj7c%3D&reserved=0) and demand is high so the advice is to be patient, but persevere and keep checking back. **Please do not phone your GP about vaccinations** – they will contact you if needed, and they cannot help with national booking service enquiries.

Drop-in/pop-up clinics will be advertised through media and social media
when they are available and when sites have availability. Follow Devon’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on [Facebook](https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMTcuNTA0ODEzMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5mYWNlYm9vay5jb20vTkhTRGV2b25DQ0cvIn0.4sZThGu_dCmmkrBpXXaOO1itY4dFY66jwO9pGUHKFEI%2Fs%2F172374962%2Fbr%2F123339416088-l&data=04%7C01%7Cmike.bomford%40devon.gov.uk%7C0bce3a296dc24b13ac4808d9c17b860a%7C8da13783cb68443fbb4b997f77fd5bfb%7C0%7C0%7C637753558813015416%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=RxG8Mi4hyvtmsxmZeAWwHrt2HjzudBnlFIJii7QGPy4%3D&reserved=0), [Twitter](https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMTcuNTA0ODEzMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3R3aXR0ZXIuY29tL25oc2Rldm9uY2NnIn0.QdwotWeNW4vYlOoeho1RihJyjERpL3_ECf0tT_akYlE%2Fs%2F172374962%2Fbr%2F123339416088-l&data=04%7C01%7Cmike.bomford%40devon.gov.uk%7C0bce3a296dc24b13ac4808d9c17b860a%7C8da13783cb68443fbb4b997f77fd5bfb%7C0%7C0%7C637753558813025371%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=%2FScQjLjte1g8jYxE33T1haYXROhVpWHeeX%2FyrWoulvw%3D&reserved=0) and [Instagram.](https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnks.gd%2Fl%2FeyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTEyMTcuNTA0ODEzMzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5pbnN0YWdyYW0uY29tL25oc2Rldm9uY2NnLyJ9.TsMvjveR_KQRUZ9YBoZdUQCFOkPkl5w0LxwTb9f1RlA%2Fs%2F172374962%2Fbr%2F123339416088-l&data=04%7C01%7Cmike.bomford%40devon.gov.uk%7C0bce3a296dc24b13ac4808d9c17b860a%7C8da13783cb68443fbb4b997f77fd5bfb%7C0%7C0%7C637753558813035332%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=ra15mc16NtBMJA16ECqodVAEkxPWkHHFQlL1M7WChdg%3D&reserved=0)