Have a safe and happy Christmas
Date Added: 23/12/2021
Get Boosted
During the festive season, it is vitally important we keep ourselves and our loved ones as safe as possible. Booster jabs are the best way to do this. First and second doses are also available.
You can still get your vaccination between Christmas and New Year
COVID-19 large vaccination centres locally will close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day but will be open from Monday 27 to Friday 31 December and will reopen on Monday 3 January.
Some pharmacies will be open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day but will only be accessible via pre-booked appointments.
Walk-ins will not be available at vaccination centres on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, on these days they will only be accessible via pre-booked appointments.
On all other days, there are bookable appointments and walk-ins at vaccination centres and pharmacies across Bedfordshire as well as in neighbouring areas including Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes. You can book appointments at any site if that's more convenient for you.
The online National Booking System will show all available appointments closest to you. New appointments are added daily so keep checking for availability.
Book appointments at the National Booking Service
Find a walk-in centre in Bedfordshire, Luton or Milton Keynes
Find other walk-in centres near you on the Gov.uk website.
For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination programme in BLMK visit: www.blmkccg.nhs.uk/covid-19
How to get a COVID-19 test over the holidays
PCR tests
PCR testing sites for people with symptoms or who have had a positive rapid test (Lateral Flow) will continue to remain open over the festive period, with slots available to book. But there will be some changes to opening hours for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Test site operating hours may be extended if there is increased demand for PCR testing.
You can also order a PCR test online over the festive period, however in some cases tests may take slightly longer to arrive due to Royal Mail’s delivery and collection times at this time.
Please book a PCR test if you have COVID-19 symptoms or if you have tested positive following an LFD test. You can book a test online or by calling 119.
Find out more
Rapid Tests (Lateral Flow Devices) for people WITHOUT symptoms
Our libraries and rapid test teams will be providing rapid tests during Christmas Week, supplies permitting.
Our libraries are open as usual on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 and open until 5 pm on New Year’s Eve (Dunstable Library will close at 4pm).
Our community collect team will be out and about between Christmas and New Year. The team will usually be set up outside but may be inside the shop depending on the conditions.
Please note this will be dependent on the weather and stock availability.
Wednesday 29 December
11am-12:30pm Leighton Buzzard (outside Morrisons)
1:30pm-3pm Dunstable (outside Sainsburys)
Thursday 30 December
11am-12:30pm Biggleswade (outside Sainsburys)
1:30pm-3pm Biggleswade (outside Lidl)
Friday 31 December
11am-12:30pm Toddington (outside Poplars Garden Centre)
1:30pm-3pm Flitwick (outside Tesco)
Find a pharmacy where you can get rapid tests
Order tests online
You can continue to order a test online for home delivery. In some cases, tests may take slightly longer than usual to arrive due to Royal Mail’s collection and delivery times over the festive period.
Order tests for home delivery
119 service
The 119 service will continue to operate on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve from 7am to 6pm, and Christmas Day and New Year’s Day from 7am to 5pm. On other days, the service will operate from 7am to 11pm.
New self-isolation rules
The COVID19 self-isolation guidance has been updated, including using lateral flow tests to reduce the self-isolation period from 10 to seven days. Below is a summary of the change and what they mean for anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
If you test positive on day 6 or 7, you should continue to isolate and re-test yourself later during the 10-day period.
You can leave self-isolation when you have had two negative tests, at least 24 hours apart, on consecutive days – e.g., on days 7 and 8, or days 8 and 9, or days 9 and 10.
If you leave self-isolation on or after day 7 you are strongly advised to limit close contact with other people in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, work from home where possible and minimise contact with anyone who might be at risk of severe illness if infected with COVID
The new self-isolation approach reflects the latest analysis on how long cases transmit the virus for and supports essential public services and supply chains over the winter while limiting the virus’ spread.
You can find the full update on the guidance on the Government website
Vaccines for vulnerable 5–11-year-olds
Following assessment of the risks and benefits of vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended that children aged 5 to 11, who are in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone (of any age) who is immunosuppressed, should be offered a primary course of vaccination.
It is now for the Government to decide whether to accept this recommendation.
Boosters for some 12–17-year-olds
Separately, in response to the threat from the Omicron variant, the JCVI has advised that booster vaccinations should be offered to persons aged:
• 16 to 17 years
• 12 to 15 who are in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone (of any age) who is immunosuppressed
• 12 to 15 years who are severely immunocompromised and who have had a third primary dose
Again, we will update you on how this will happen once ministers have decided whether to accept the JCVI recommendation.
COVID-19 useful information
• view the weekly figures
• vaccinations - about the vaccine and myth busting FAQs
• support for businesses
• testing centres for people with symptoms
• rapid tests for people without symptoms
Full information is available on our website.
Coronavirus
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