A POP-UP walk-in Covid vaccine clinic is to operate in Lye for a month to help make it easier for people to get their jabs.

The clinic will be held at Chapel Street Surgery in Chapel Street every Wednesday from June 2 to June 30, from 1pm to 5pm each day.

Health chiefs say they have arranged for the walk-in offering to make the Covid jab accessible to everyone and to ensure "no communities get left behind when it comes to having the vaccine".

Dr Masood Ahmed, chief medical officer for Black Country and West Birmingham CCGs, said: “We are committed to making sure that no one gets left

behind as we continue to rollout the vaccination programme across the Black Country and West Birmingham.

“So far we’ve delivered over one million first and second doses of the vaccine in our area, but we need uptake to be evenly spread among all our communities. We will continue our efforts to reach communities who have lower uptake, with local pop up sessions to make it as comfortable and accessible as possible for people to get vaccinated.”

Lead pharmacist Rachael Thornton said the Chapel Street Medical Centre in Lye has vaccinated almost 200 people to date and she added: "Feedback from local people who have visited us so far has been positive, and they have told us that hosting clinics in local community venues has really given them confidence to come out and take the vaccine."

Councillor Nicolas Barlow, Dudley Council's cabinet member for health and adult social care, added: “These community pop-up vaccine clinics are a great example of our combined efforts in Dudley to make sure no communities get left behind when it comes to having the vaccine.

“I would encourage everyone to have their jab as soon as it is offered to them."

The vaccine is available to anyone aged 30 or over, anyone with an underlying health condition such as diabetes or asthma, and anyone who works in the health and care sectors or is a named carer for another person.

A spokesman for Black Country and West Birmingham CCGs could not confirm what vaccine will be offered to walk-in recipients in Lye although the Halesowen/Dudley Yemeni Community Association, which is hosting walk-in vaccine appointments at Halesowen Cultural Centre, has told the News the Pfizer jab will be available there.

People can walk-in to that centre, in Highfield Lane, for a vaccine on Thursdays from June 3 to June 24, from 9.30am to 5.30pm each day.

Everyone will receive a health status check and a pre-vaccination assessment before they have their jab.

People will need to present their NHS number, proof of age (driving license or passport) or employment ID if they work in health and social care.

Those who are not in an eligible group are urged not to turn up as they will be turned away.