Covid-19: More walk-in vaccine clinics operating this weekend

People wait to receive their vaccine outside Bloomfield Shopping Centre in Bangor

Further walk-in vaccine clinics, where no booking is needed, are operating in locations across Northern Ireland this weekend.

Last week, appointment-free pop-up clinics were established as part of a "final push" to get younger people vaccinated.

The clinics are offering first doses of the vaccine to anyone over 18.

Walk-in slots for second doses are also being offered at the vaccination centre at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

Anyone who has had a Pfizer vaccine six weeks ago or an AstraZeneca vaccine eight weeks ago is eligible. Second doses cannot be administered at a shorter time interval.

About 50% of those aged 18 to 29 and two-thirds of 30 to 40-year-olds have had a first dose.

About 95% of all those aged over 50 have had a first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Overall, about 60% of adults in Northern Ireland are fully vaccinated with two doses.

Walk-in locations

Saturday:

• Whitla Hall, Queen's University, Belfast 10:00-19:00

• Abbey Centre, Newtownabbey 10:00-16:30

• Parochial Centre, Stewartstown Road, Coalisland 09:30-15:30

• Bloomfield Shopping Centre, Bangor 11:00-19:00

• Millennium Forum, Londonderry 12:00-17:00

Sunday:

• Abbey Centre, Newtownabbey 13:00-16:00

• Translink Railway Station, Bangor 11:00-19:00

Thursday, 15 July:

• St Cedmas Parish Hall, Church Road, Larne 17:00-20:00

• Limavady Leisure Centre 16:00-20:00

Appointment-free first doses are also increasingly available from Northern Ireland's seven main vaccination centres and you can also book a slot for an appointment at any of them.

The centres are:

• SSE Arena, Belfast

• Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast

• Seven Towers Leisure Centre, Ballymena

• South Lake Leisure Centre, Craigavon

• The Foyle Arena, Derry

• Omagh Leisure Centre, Omagh

• Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen

Those attending, with or without an appointment, must bring photo ID and, where possible, their health and social care number.

Vaccination centres and walk-in clinics are offering the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for first doses,

Participating community pharmacies are offering AstraZeneca first doses for people who are aged 40 or over

There has been a sharp rise in the number of positive Covid cases in Northern Ireland cases in recent weeks, with 605 cases recorded in the 24 hours up until Friday compared to 339 a week before.

There are 60 people in hospital with the virus compared to 26 the week before, with one person being treated in intensive care.

On Thursday, the executive agreed a further easing of some restrictions.

From 26 July, fully vaccinated people returning to Northern Ireland from so-called amber countries will not have to quarantine, while theatres could also reopen and the requirement for face coverings to be worn in places of worship could also be removed.

Most of the proposals will need to be ratified by ministers on 22 July.

The decisions mean Northern Ireland will deviate from England's roadmap, where it is expected all legal restrictions will end on 19 July.