A CORONAVIRUS vaccination bus will tour Blackburn with Darwen next week taking jabs close to people’s doorsteps.

From Monday the mobile immunisation unit will visit locations across the borough where take-up has been low.

It will stop at a variety of venues including mosques, colleges, schools, leisure centres and community hubs to provide a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

As well as making access to jabs easier and convenient, clinicians on board the bus will answer questions people might have. There is no need to book.

The vaccination bus is in addition to the appointment-only sites in Penny Street, Revidge Fold Church, Royal Blackburn Hospital and Everest Pharmacy in Darwen which are also delivering first dose Pfizer vaccines.

Vaccine director Jane Scattergood said: “Vaccination is extremely important in our fight against Covid-19. For various reasons some people do find it difficult to take up the offer of the vaccine, but we want to do everything we can to make it easier for people to get their vaccine when they can.

“Our aim is to continue adapting the vaccination service to the communities we serve. Not only do vaccinations help reduce harm and loss of life but they are crucial in getting back to some sort of normality.”

Professor Dominic Harrison, Blackburn with Darwen Council's public health director, said: "“The vaccine bus will enable us to get the vaccines to where people live and where we have most need of people to be protected as soon as possible.

"The new variant numbers are rising across Pennine Lancashire – I urge everyone over 18 who can not to miss this opportunity to get vaccinated as soon as possible- it may quite literally be 'the chance of a lifetime'.”

On Monday the bus will visit the Masjid E Sajedeen car park, Little Harwood, from 10am to 5.30pm. On Wednesday it will visit Blackburn College Car park in Feilden Street, from 9am to 12.30pm and Al Asr Mosque car park in Preston New Road from 1.30pm to 4pm.

On Thursday the bus will be on Audley Leisure Centre car park from10am to 5.30pm. On Friday it will visit Mill Hill from 9am to 12.30pm and Roman Road Health Centre from 1.30pm to 4.30pm On Saturday the bus will visit St Michael and St Johns Primary School Car Park in Swallow Drive from noon to 7.30pm. On Sunday it will be on the Shadsworth Community Hub car park from 10am to 5.30pm If the initiative is a success the jab bus is expected to visit further sites the following week.