Dorset's largest vaccination site is to offer non-Covid jabs to school children who may have missed their vaccinations due to the pandemic.

The Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), just like Salisbury City Hall, has been rolling out coronavirus jabs to those in the priority groups.

Based in the Purbeck Hall of the town centre venue, the centre is currently vaccinating people over 60.

But it has capacity to run other vaccinations for schoolchildren alongside its Covid vaccine appointments which is why catch-up school immunisation clinics are being organised this week.

People in Salisbury who go on the national booking system to make an appoinment can select which site to go to based on what's convenient for them.

The BIC is one of the options.

Dorset HealthCare’s School Age Immunisation Team (SAIS) is using the facilities to catch up on HPV (Human Papillovirus) immunisations that were delayed last year due to the pandemic and school closures.

Kate Harvey, Service Director for Children, Young People and Families at Dorset HealthCare, said: “It makes perfect sense to use this facility, which is specifically set up for vaccinations, to help us deliver school immunisations in periods where it is not fully booked for COVID-19 vaccinations. It’s wonderful to know that multiple generations will be able to receive a vaccination of one type or another at the centre.”

The team has contacted specific schools to offer parents appointments for their children at the BIC, giving flexibility on when and where they can have their vaccination and an opportunity to book in before schools return next week.

School immunisation clinics will run at the centre today (Wednesday March 3) and on Sunday March 7.

Only those with an appointment can attend. 

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