TEENAGERS aged 16-17 will finally be able to get their Covid jab after a walk-in vaccination centre in the city centre has been opened today. 

The opening follows concerns that not enough centres were available for teens wanting to be jabbed. However, the single centre, in Littlemore, is inaccessible to many and is advertised as only being open for four days.

Last week, the Government gave the green light for 16 and 17 year-olds to be vaccinated from Monday in a bid to give teenagers some protection from the virus before they return to school in September.

Yet until today, Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) only had two walk-in vaccination centres: one in Witney for four days until tomorrow and another at Fitzharry's School in Abingdon for just two days until it closed yesterday.

One worried parent, who asked to be anonymous, said: “My daughter received a letter this morning, telling her to look up her nearest walk-in vaccination centre but there is nowhere local offering this.”

Others have also raised concerns about the lack of vaccination sites near the city centre.

Jacquie Pearce-Gervis, the founder of Oxford’s Patient Voice group, said: “I don’t understand why they avoided Oxford city when it had some of the highest rates and young people are so keen to get vaccinated.”

Walk-in jabs will now be available at Oxford Academy, in Littlemore, though only until Saturday.

OCCG said more dates 'may' be added.

An additional walk-in site at Banbury United Football Club, which is more than 30 miles away from Oxford, will be open for just one day on Sunday.

Those aged 16 and 17 are unable to book their vaccinations on the national booking system so rely on walk-in centres to receive their first dose.

Teenagers have hit out at the lack of provision across the city.

A 16-year-old Cherwell School pupil from Cutteslowe, who asked not to be named, said: “It looks like we have been completely ignored.

“They were pushing all the older people to get vaccinated, but we are the ones who have to go back to school soon and sit in massive classes and will definitely catch it. Now they have said we can have it but they don’t have anywhere convenient for us to get it.”

Parents who work full-time, and whose teenagers cannot drive, have also queried when their children are likely to be jabbed, as most walk-in vaccination centres are closed by 5pm.

The teenager added: “Even now there is only one place on the opposite side Oxford for people like me which is impossible to get to.

“We don’t even drive so how are we supposed to get it? And it’s only going to be open for a few days. It has been so badly organised. It’s like they think they’ve finished the job and can’t really be bothered anymore.”

Another 16-year-old from Oxford, who asked to be named just as Sam, said: “I have been waiting ages to get the injection. I have really bad asthma and should have had it ages ago.

“I've had Covid and it was terrible. I have never felt so sick as that and couldn’t even breathe. I know other people who did worse in their GCSEs because they had it.

“They say it doesn’t affect our age much but it’s a lie. And now they are making it as difficult as possible to get the injections.”

Current JCVI advice recommends that 16 and17-year-olds receive one vaccination.

If the young person is registered with a GP practice, they may be contacted by the practice to offer them an appointment at a local site.

A spokesperson for OCCG said: “Many 16–17-year-olds in Oxfordshire are being contacted by the GP practice where they are registered and invited to book a jab locally - practices in Wantage and Henley, for example, have been successfully vaccinating their young patients for some time and around 22 per cent of 16–17-year-olds in the county have already had a jab.

“Additional walk-in clinics have been delivering vaccines to 16- and 17-year-olds in Witney town centre and at Fitzharrys School this week, while the Oxford city clinic opens [today] at Oxford Academy, plus another clinic at Banbury United FC on Sunday.”

Tehmeena Ajmal, Covid Operations Director, at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I would urge all young people aged 16 and 17 who are yet to receive their jab to drop into a walk-in clinic and get vaccinated.”

Those who will turn 18 within the next three months, and anyone aged 18 and over can book their first and second dose of the vaccine through the national booking service.