Since June, the bus has been stopping in areas of the city with lower vaccine uptake to make it easier for people to get their vaccinations, in a partnership between the City of Wolverhampton Council, Black Country & West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and local GPs.
In total the team working from the bus have administered 5,155 first and second doses, a combination of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “Working in partnership with the NHS and local GPs, the bus has proved effective in getting vaccines to where they are needed most and together we have helped to administer over 5,100 doses, many to people in our more vulnerable communities.
“It has been popular because it is so convenient; it’s easy to just come along and get a jab, there’s no need to book. The bus offers first and second doses for anyone aged 18 and over and is now starting to revisit some of the places it was last at 8 weeks ago, making it the perfect time for people who had their first jabs to come along and get their second doses.”
Councillor Jaspal continued: “We are seeing rising infection rates in Wolverhampton and across the Black Country. Fortunately, there is clear evidence that the vaccine is effective and significantly reduces the number of people who are infected that go on to need hospital treatment.
“That’s why it is so important that everyone who is eligible has their jabs as soon as they can. Being fully vaccinated will help to protect you from serious illness and reduce the likelihood of you needing hospital treatment if you do catch it.”
This week the bus will be returning to East Park, where it will be open on Thursday 2 September between 1pm and 6pm, and then from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 September between 11am and 6pm.
No appointments are needed; anyone over the age of 18 can get their first or second dose of either Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines. Although the vaccine bus is not open to under 18s, there are many other walk-in clinics around the city that can accept 16 and 17 year olds. Full details of other walk-in vaccination centres open in Wolverhampton can be found at COVID-19 vaccination.
