Pedestrians passing by the NHS Covid-19 Vaccination Centre in Westfield, Stratford.

There are calls for pop-up booster jab centres to be unveiled (Picture: Getty Images)

Christmas shoppers should be able to get Covid-19 jabs while buying presents, as part of a ‘national effort’ to aid the booster campaign, Labour has suggested.


The opposition party’s intervention comes as scientists said that booster shots are likely to be effective against the Omicron variant, which is spreading rapidly across the UK.


Labour wants ministers to open more vaccinations sites and open up booking slots to all double-jabbed adults.


The party urged the government to unveil pop-up vaccination centres in supermarkets and shopping centres.


Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the Government should ‘pull out all the stops’ to meet the Prime Minister’s target of having offered a booster jab to all those aged over 18 by the end of January.


Mr Streeting’s team said that without an increased rate of vaccinations, the target was likely to be missed by almost two weeks.


It follows an analysis by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showing that the AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines provide ‘much lower’ levels of protection against symptomatic infection with Omicron compared to Delta.




Crowds of shoppers pack onto Northumberland Street in Newcastle this afternoon on the penultimate Saturday shopping day before Christmas, with face masks becoming a more visible presence with the introduction of Plan B measures gradually coming into force.

Christmas shoppers should be given the chance to get boosted while out, Labour says (Picture: North News & Pictures Ltd)

But it said a booster dose gives around 70% to 75% protection.


Labour called for as many of the vaccination sites that were closed over the summer reopened as possible, with the extra capacity used to provide booster appointments to all those eligible.


Mr Streeting said: ‘Our best defence against Omicron is urgently ramping up the booster programme, but the Government is not currently on track to get everyone boosted by the end of January.


‘We need to pull out all the stops on this.


‘Vaccine centres should be opened in shopping centres where people will be doing their Christmas shopping, we need to remobilise the army of retired medics and volunteers, and boosters should be open to all adults.’



thumbnail for post ID 15759376


Coronavirus alert level raised to 4 as Omicron cases increase

He added: ‘The NHS should continue to prioritise those most at risk, including the elderly, housebound and care home residents, but there is no reason it should be turning away others who are eligible and keen to get their booster vaccines now.


‘We want to make sure everyone can enjoy Christmas safely this year, as well as protecting our NHS. The best way to do that is boosting the booster campaign.’


Labour said almost 30% of older adult care home residents have still not received their booster vaccine.


Metro.co.uk has contacted the Department of Health for comment.


Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.


For more stories like this, check our news page.