ALTON will get its own Covid-19 vaccination site this week after a hard-fought campaign by the town’s MP, councillors and Herald readers.

The new pharmacy-led centre will be located in Boots on Alton High Street, and is expected to start operating from Saturday (March 20).

There has been a clamour for an Alton vaccine service ever since it was revealed in December that the town’s elderly residents would be forced on a 32-mile round-trip to Hampshire Court Hotel in Chineham, near Basingstoke, for their jabs – despite Farnham, Bordon and Petersfield all getting their own services.

The journey presented significant difficulties for those Alton residents without their own transport, ramping up the pressure on volunteer-driver groups such as Alton Community Care.

Only those with a booked slot will be able to get their jab at Boots, with its capacity for about 400 vaccinations each week, although it’s understood that could increase significantly if required.

It is part of the national booking service, and so will be available to those aged 55 and above who receive a letter or text message inviting them to book a jab online at a time and location which is convenient for them.

Anyone who cannot go online can call 119 instead, free of charge.

Dr Matt Nisbet, GP and lead for business and partnerships at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Partnership of Clinical Commissioning Groups said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to announce that a site will soon be open in Alton.

“We were always clear the service would be kept under review as circumstances changed

“And we have also been listening to the clear views expressed by local people, asking us to consider expanding the options available to them.

“We believe that this new site, working alongside the main GP-led site in Chineham, is a positive outcome.”

Well over half a million people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have already had their first vaccine jab, including more than 70,000 people in North Hampshire.

Dr Nisbet added: “The vaccination service in North Hampshire has been working phenomenally well .

“This is thanks to the dedication of the front line teams and superb volunteers, and this will now strengthen that service even further.

“We know that the vaccination programme will be here for some time to come, so it is vital to ensure it is high quality, and convenient.

“I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this – from my colleagues working to make it happen, to the local people who have pushed us to deliver, and the many people who have offered their time or resources to help to make it happen.

“The community response has been fantastic.”

The service is currently open to people aged 55 and over who have been contacted by the national booking service.

People who book will have a pre-vaccination assessment before they receive their vaccine, and appointments will be staggered to allow for social distancing.

Those going for their jab are advised not to arrive early, to avoid queues.

If anyone has already been vaccinated since the letter was sent out, or would prefer to wait to be invited to attend a GP-led service, they can simply ignore it.

If anyone has already been given an appointment at the Hampshire Court Hotel in Chineham by their local GP-led service, they should still attend that appointment.