New walk-in coronavirus vaccination centres due to open in Cambridge this weekend

Cambridge City Council has announced the opening of several new walk-in vaccination centres in Cambridge.

The new announcement on the council’s website states that anyone aged 18 or over can go to one of the several new walk-in centres to get their first or second coronavirus vaccine, with a second dose only being provided if the first dose has been received at least eight weeks ago.

The council have advised that anyone attending one of these centres should bring a face covering, and ID if they can.

Photo credit: The Vaccinators

The Guildhall, Market Square, CB2 3QJ

There will be a walk-in vaccination centre at The Guildhall on both Saturday 10th July and Saturday 11th July, with opening hours of 8am-8pm on both days. The centre will be giving out Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, with AstraZeneca being reserved for those aged 40 and over.

Meadows Community Centre, 1, St Catharine’s Road, CB4 3XJ

The Meadows Community Centre will be open as a vaccination centre on Saturday 10th July from 10am-4pm. It will be offering Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, with AstraZeneca again being reserved for those aged 40 and over.

Photo credit: The Vaccinators

Grafton Centre

There will be a walk-in vaccination centre at the Grafton Centre every Wednesday until 1st August, starting on 14th July, with opening hours of 5:30-7:30pm. The walk-in centre will also be open daily from 9am-3pm until 1st August.

The centre will offer both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines, but will again reserve AstraZeneca for those aged 40 and over.

Chesterton Indoor Bowls Club

The walk-in clinic based at the Bowls Club will be open daily until 1st August, with opening hours of 9am-3pm. AstraZeneca will be reserved for those aged 40 and over at this clinic too.

Rising cases in Cambridge

Coronavirus cases in Cambridge continue to rise, 432 people have had a confirmed positive test result in the city between 29th June and 5th July, which works out at around 350 per 100,000 people. With this in mind, the council stated it is “even more important that people get fully vaccinated as soon as possible.”

The council advises that anyone unable to attend a walk-in centre over the next few weeks can still book a vaccination online or by calling 119. More information on walk-in clinics across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough can also be found on the local NHS website.

The council also points out that continuing with “good ventilation, social distancing, hand hygiene and regular testing” will also help to reduce the spread of infection. You can get free lateral flow tests by calling 119, and these can be ordered online too.

Robert Pollock, Chief Executive of Cambridge City Council, stressed the importance of getting vaccinated: “I strongly urge everyone over 18 to grab a jab.” This is especially essential now, as “infection levels are getting very high amongst younger age groups and students.”

As part of this, he asked that Cambridge residents take “ten minutes” to “spread the word to family, friends and work colleagues” about the opening of the new vaccination centres in Cambridge. He added that “our staff will be out delivering leaflets and door knocking to help get the message out.”

Councillor Lewis Herbert, the leader of Cambridge City Council, echoed this message, encouraging Cambridge residents to get vaccinated: “Do your bit to help prevent Cambridge having even worse Covid problems this autumn and persuade everyone you know to grab a jab.”

Herbert also encourages Cambridge residents to continue wearing face coverings “in the places you do now”, as they “protect the people around you and cut their and your risk” of contracting the virus.

He continued: “With cases again unacceptably high in Cambridge, now is definitely not the time to stop wearing masks in public indoor environments like shops, or while entering pubs and restaurants, or in busy outdoor queues or overcrowded places.”

The council has worked with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and other partners to “organise and promote” the walk-in vaccination centres that are open in Cambridge over the next few weeks. 

Feature image credit: Bilyana Tomova