If you are 70 years old or over and haven’t had your coronavirus vaccine please contact the NHS so you can arrange it.

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland and are 70 or over you are currently advised to wait to be contacted by the NHS with an appointment.

To book your appointment you can go to the national booking system online here (or www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination) or you can call 119 free of charge between 7am and 11pm.

The current vaccines work very well to protect against all the main variants of coronavirus in circulation. Although the virus is mutating, as virus do, some of the new versions may appear to be changing in ways that could ultimately affect existing vaccines however, although that may sound concerning experts agree that the current ones being given still work very well and will protect against severe illness and do what really matters most, save lives. Scientists are working on updating vaccines to ensure they keep up with the virus as it changes so follow ups, boosters and vaccinations administered later may have additional benefits against new variants. Viruses often change, the flu vaccine is updated every year depending on new factors and vaccines can be tweaked in a matter of weeks or months if necessary. So far the NHS has asked people to wait until they are contacted for vaccination to ensure vulnerable and key groups receive theirs first but more than 12 million people have now received their first dose. You can choose a time slot and location for your appointment and locations are far more convenient and numerous now.

Dr Nikki Kanani, a GP and medical director for primary care at NHS England, said: “If you are aged 70 and over, and haven’t yet received your vaccine, please come forward and make an appointment as soon as you can. “The vaccine is safe, simple, and will offer you and those around you crucial protection against this virus.” It comes as: The government says coronavirus vaccines will be offered to everyone living in the UK free of charge, regardless of their immigration status. They want people in the country illegally to know they will not be at risk of deportation if they come forward for a jab The government is aiming to offer first doses to 15 million people in the top four priority groups by 15 February. At the current rate, about 16 million people would receive a first jab by that date Health secretary Matt Hancock said the UK’s vaccination programme must keep pace with the virus. PM Boris Johnson says the vaccines in use in the UK are “effective in combating serious death and illness in all variants”