Huge queues at London clinic after vaccines advertised to all over-18s

Huge queues formed at a London clinic after it was advertised all over-18s in the area could turn up and get their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

The Independent understands not everyone aged between 18 and 29 was automatically eligible for a jab at the Harrow clinic, as they are not currently in a priority age group.

It would be up to officials at the clinic to decide whether over-18s are eligible for reasons other than their age, and if not, whether there would be enough spare doses left over to be able to hand out the vaccines.

An advert with Harrow Council and NHS logos said over-18s could get their vaccine at the clinic over the weekend, as long as they lived or worked in Harrow and had not yet had their first dose.

Young people keen to resume socialising and travel again were prepared to queue for hours as they arrived at Belmont Health Centre on Saturday.

By mid-morning, a huge queue had formed, snaking around a car park and stretching down the street.

Among them were 20-year-old students Jamie Lesser and Daniel Simmons who arrived at about 8.15am.

Mr Lesser said it would be a relief to get the jab, telling the PA news agency: “If all plans go ahead, clubs are going to open in three weeks’ time and we both have plans to go out.”

Others in the queue – 24-year-old Bori Toth and 22-year-old Mirek Blachut – had tried to get their inoculations at Twickenham Stadium on Monday when it opened to people 18 and over but they arrived too late.

Crowds of young people rushed to the stadium earlier this week after the vaccine centre widened eligibility in the afternoon to avoid wasting doses.

Mr Blachut said: “That’s why I guess we came here at 8.30am when it was supposed to open but there was already a line.”

National eligibility criteria in England states that only those aged 30 and over are currently being invited for their first vaccine dose, although there are other reasons why people will be eligible for the vaccine not dependent on age, as outlined on the NHS website.

It is understood health officials want to prioritise those currently eligible for a Covid vaccine in the Harrow clinic.

The Independent understands authorities do not want people aged under 30 to turn up at the Harrow clinic believing they are automatically eligible, which could put of those being prioritised.

However, the poster advertising the walk-in centre states that people aged 18 and over can come along and the majority of the large crowd queued up on Saturday appeared to be in their 20s.

In a section on the Harrow Council website about Covid-19 vaccinations, it says: “Please note that the walk-in services will operate on a first come, first served basis for residents eligible to be vaccinated and it is possible you will be asked to come back at a later date should supplies run out on a given day.”

A spokesperson at North West London Integrated Care System said: “We continue to prioritise those in eligible groups. We made a local clinical decision to invite wider groups today so that available doses could be used without waste and only people who have been invited from our local communities will be vaccinated.”

Belmont Health Centre was running the walk-in vaccination service between 8.30am and 6pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Additional reporting by Press Association