Queues for booster doses and Covid vaccines across East of England

More demand for Covid boosters and jabs are being reported across the East of England

Long queues have been reported at vaccination centres as people concerned about the new coronavirus variant Omicron tried to get jabs.

In Colchester, Norwich and Cambridge people formed lines to get a booster - or even their first dose.

The government announced it will be making booster vaccinations available to all adults by the end of January.

The East of England region now has two confirmed cases of Omicron, the latest, in north Norfolk.

At the Grafton Centre in Cambridge, staff have been vaccinating an average of 700 people a day.

Jess Bugg, 24, has had her first jab on a bus

Meanwhile in Colchester, 300 people turned up to the vaccine bus, with the Omicron variant foremost in people's minds.

Jess Bugg, who is 24, was one of those who decided not to put the vaccine off any longer. "It's my first one," she said.

She said she was prompted to do so by the new variant, first identified in South Africa.

"[I came]mainly because of how everything is going, it's stopping me from doing things I want to do, going on holiday, and now the new variant coming out as well," she said.

Richard Ely moved his booster jab forward in the light of the new variant

Richard Ely decided to queue up for his booster, slightly earlier than he was supposed to, again because of the new variant.

"It certainly made me want to get it quicker," he said.

"I was down to get it in a couple of weeks' time but I saw the opportunity and thought I would take it as quickly as possible."

Christine Ford wanted to make sure her son Jack was safe and had queued to get him a vaccine and a booster for herself

For mother, Christine Ford, her priority was to get her 17-year-old son Jack, jabbed.

"I want him to be safe. That's my main priority as well. It's scary [new variant] it's so close. I don't want to be ill," she said.

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The bus's nurse vaccinator, Emma Barton, said she was "absolutely chuffed" to see so many people coming forward.

"I think all the coverage in the news about the South African variant has probably pushed people a little bit to get out and have their vaccines," she said.

Most were coming for boosters, but a sizeable proportion were turning out for their first or second jab, said Ms Barton.

The push to get more people vaccinated means 12 to 15-year-olds will now be invited for their second doses, the government also said.