RESIDENTS in Hampshire and Isle of Wight are urged to keep their Covid-19 jab appointment after figures reveal more than 8,200 slots were missed in the last week alone.

A shocking 8,296 appointments that have been booked via the National Booking Service (NBS) have been missed across the area in the last seven days.

This means that more than 1,100 appointments have been missed a day across Hampshire and Isle of Wight.

Dr Matt Nisbet, GP and clinical lead for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Covid-19 Vaccination Programme, said teams are continuing to work hard to meet the Prime Ministers target of offering everyone a booster by the end of the year.

He said: “We know that eligible people are keen to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“We continue to work hard to scale up capacity right across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight but particularly in the areas of greatest need, based on evidence, to help ensure our communities are protected against the virus.”

He encouraged anyone with an appointment booked to cancel the slot if they no longer need the appointment.

This will ensure that the vaccine can be given to as many people as possible and appointment slots can be given to someone else.

He added: “To ensure we can offer the vaccine to as many people as possible, it is really important than anyone with a booked appointment attends, or cancels or moves their slot if they no longer need it for any reason.”

The real figure relating to the number of appointments missed is likely to be far higher.

This is because figures do not include missed Covid-19 appointment slots at GP practices across Hampshire and Isle of Wight, who record their data individually.

The news comes as dedicated health and care teams across Hampshire and Isle of Wight continue to do all they can to help ensure every adult is offered a booster jab by the end of the year.

This includes standing up walk-in clinics, delivering jabs via GP practices and outreach clinics, hospital hubs, pharmacies and mass vaccination centres.

As previously reported by The Gazette Hampshire Court Hotel reopened its vaccination site to help deliver the promise to residents.

Basingstoke Hospital also offered a helping hand opening up a hub to vaccinate hundreds of people a day.

Existing public health measures remain in place including staying at home if you feel unwell, getting a test if you experience any Covid symptoms, wearing a face-covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, and working from home where possible.

People are also encouraged to keep maintaining social distancing and to keep doing regular hand washing, as well as taking up the offer of the free vaccine.

Anyone eligible who has not yet taken up the offer of a first, second, or booster dose is encouraged to do so as soon as possible to protect them against the virus.

More than 3.6 million jabs have been delivered across Hampshire and Isle of Wight since the launch of the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history a year ago.

Vaccinations are accessible via a local GP service, at a vaccination centre, some local pharmacies, and via a walk-in clinic.

If you need to cancel or move a vaccination appointment booked through the National Booking Service, visit the website or call 119.