Huge queues formed at England’s biggest Covid vaccination centre at Twickenham Stadium after jabs were offered to anyone over the age of 18 for one day only.
Thousands of people over 30 had already been given a Covid vaccine dose at the home of English rugby after it opened on Bank Holiday Monday, but the local NHS trust later said they could offer them to anyone over 18.
It tweeted just before 3.20pm: “Thousands of people vaccinated at @twickenhamstad today. Still spaces and vaccine left: now open to all 18 and over who can get here before 7.30pm!”
There was so much demand once the call for all adults went out that the gates closed to new arrivals at 6.45pm, with people who hadn’t booked or already started queuing told they wouldn’t be seen.
Government guidelines say only people over the age of 30 are currently eligible for the jab, but medics at the stadium offered it to all adults in an effort to ensure nothing is wasted.
Up to 15,000 Pfizer vaccine doses were offered up as part of Twickenham’s “Let’s Tackle COVID” event.
It was initially only offering first doses to eligible members of the public in the London boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster.
But by mid-afternoon, organisers said anyone over 18 could turn up for a jab.