ANDOVER'S vaccination centre has been forced to stop offering walk-in booster jabs due to limited supply.

The volunteer-run vaccine hub, overseen by the Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight CCG, has issued a statement letting residents know that it will only be offering first and second Covid vaccine doses on a walk-in basis

Second doses can be received eight weeks after first, for those over 18, and 12 weeks after for 16-18 year olds.

The centre, located in The Chantry Centre, is offering Pfizer vaccines.

However, it cannot offer jabs to anyone under the age of 16, and booster does can only be given to those with an appointment.

In a statement on its website, Andover Primary Care Network (PCN) said: "We are a small vaccination centre governed by Andover PCN which is the network of the five doctors' practices in Andover.

"Our aim is to try to vaccinate patients from Andover, but we are not a mass vaccination centre and are therefore restricted by our vaccine supply and by the generosity of our staff; many of whom are retired, and the marvellous volunteers who constantly give their time free of charge.

"We really appreciate your patience and support to help us make the best use of vaccine available to us.

"This is especially true for all the volunteers who are doing their best to attend to all patient's as quickly as possible."

The news means that the nearest walk-in vaccination centre to Andover, according to the NHS website, which offering booster doses to all eligible groups is located in Slough.

It comes after the Prime Minister announced on Sunday night (December 12) that everyone over 18 in the UK will be offered a booster Covid vaccination before the end of the year.

In an emergency national briefing, Boris Johnson announced the “acceleration” of the booster roll-out.

Speaking to the Advertiser, Dr Andrew Baring from the Andover Primary Care Network said:“Appointments at the vaccination centre in Andover are now available to book and we are looking to offer really significant numbers of appointments in the coming days. We will be offering appointments to our local population so that everyone who is eligible can be protected, without having the inconvenience and anxiety of queuing.

“We ask patients to bear with us and wait to be contacted. Practices are trying to keep phone lines free for the significant amount of illness that we are also managing”