COVID jab walk-ins launch for pregnant women and needle-phobics

Pregnant women and people who are needle-phobic will be able to get their COVID jabs at dedicated walk-in sessions at the county’s two Mass Vaccination Centres.

More than 468,00 booster vaccinations have been given out across the county, and now Lincolnshire Showground and the PRSA at Boston and are making a concerted effort to encourage pregnant women and people who are needle-phobic to get vaccinated.

Rebecca Neno, director of COVID and influenza vaccination programmes for NHS Lincolnshire CCG, said: “The point of the walk-in sessions being held for pregnant women at PRSA and at the Lincolnshire Showground, is to provide the opportunity for them to have a discussion with a midwife about the COVID vaccination, and to provide a quiet environment should they want to get vaccinated.

“Similarly, with the walk-in sessions for people who are needle-phobic, the purpose is to provide the opportunity to attend for vaccination during a quieter time at PRSA and at the Lincolnshire Showground, when there’s also less time pressure around the length of each appointment.”

Rebecca is urging anyone eligible to take advantage of the sessions, saying specially trained teams will answer any questions or concerns and give people as much time as they need to make their own decision.

She added: “We continue to offer everyone eligible the opportunity to get jabbed, but we’re aware that it’s not a straightforward decision for everyone to get vaccinated, particularly pregnant women and people who are needle-phobic. This is why we’re putting these dedicated sessions on and why they have been deliberately scheduled for early morning until early afternoon at PRSA and the Lincolnshire Showground, when the centres are otherwise not operating currently.”

The sessions, which will be run on a walk-in basis (no appointment necessary), will run as follows:

Pregnancy walk-in sessions at Lincolnshire Showground

• January 26, 10am-1pm
• January 27, 9am-1pm

Pregnancy walk-in sessions at PRSA

• January 20, 9am-1pm
• January 24, 9am-1pm
• January 26, 9am-1pm

Needle-phobic walk-in sessions at Lincolnshire Showground

• January 25, 9am-1pm
• January 27, 9am-1pm

Needle-phobic walk-in sessions at PRSA

• January 25, 9am-1pm
• January 27, 9am-1pm

Continuing on from the successful pop-up walk-in vaccination sessions held across the county in recent weeks, a further round of sessions has been confirmed for next week as follows:

• Saturday, January 22 at the Fenside Community Centre, Taverner Road, Boston PE21 8NL, between 10am and 3pm.
• Monday, January 24 at Bridge Church, Portland St, Lincoln LN5 7NN, between 10am and 6pm.
• Monday, January 24 at Fenside Community Centre, Taverner Road, Boston PE21 8NL, between 1pm and 7pm.
• Tuesday, January 25 at Bridge Church, Portland St. Lincoln LN5 7NN, between 10am and 6pm.
• Tuesday, January 25 at Fenside Community Centre, Taverner Road, Boston PE21 8NL, between 1pm and 7pm.
• Wednesday, January 26 at Fenside Community Centre, Taverner Road, Boston PE21 8NL, between 1pm and 7pm.
• Thursday, January 27 at the Wainfleet Coronation Hall, High Street PE24 4BS, between 10am and 7pm.
• Thursday, January 27 at the Engine Shed, Lincoln, between 10am and 7pm.
• Friday, January 28 at Boston College, Skirbeck Road, Boston PE21 6JF, between 10am and 7pm.
• Friday, January 28 at Bishop Grosseteste University, Longdales Road, Lincoln LN1 3DY, between 10am and 7pm.
• Saturday, January 29 at Boston Local Community Centre, Mitre Lane PE21 6EB (behind the old Marks and Spencer), between 10am and 6pm.
• Saturday, January 29 at Lincoln City FC, LNER Stadium, LN5 8LD, between 12pm and 3pm (in the Fan Village).
• Sunday, January 30 at Lincoln City FC, LNER Stadium, LN5 8LD, between 10am and 4pm (Stacey West car park).
• Sunday, January 30 at the Boston Local Community Centre, Mitre Lane PE21 6EB (behind the old Marks and Spencer), between 10am and 4pm.

The pop-up sessions allow anyone eligible to get vaccinated without an appointment, whether that be a booster (16 and over) or for first and second doses (available to anyone aged 16 and over, as well as 12-15 year-olds provided a parent/guardian is present to consent).