A VACCINE bus returns to a North East town centre this week as efforts continue to protect as many people as possible from Covid-19.

Middlesbrough Football Club's Foundation bus will be at Newport Community Hub on Wednesday from 10am-6pm.

Health professionals from the Central Middlesbrough Primary Care Network and Middlesbrough Council will be on hand to answer questions and provide more information on the vaccine.

Efforts are being concentrated on the town centre area after Council analysis of NHS data found there are more than 4,000 unvaccinated over-18s living in an area under one square mile.

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Materials in several languages will be distributed to encourage people undecided about the vaccine to attend the pop-up.

First and second doses of Pfizer along with a limited supply of AstraZeneca will be available for over-16s only.

Booster jabs for people who had their second vaccine at least six months earlier are also on offer.

South Tees Joint Director of Public Health Mark Adams said: "Our objective is to get as many people vaccinated as possible.

"We acknowledge that people may have concerns or questions about the vaccine and things like side effects and we're encouraging them to come along and speak to an expert.

"Covid cases remain high in Middlesbrough and certain groups of people who live here are vulnerable to infection.

"By being vaccinated you can take control, protect yourself and others in your community."

Pop-up clinics are planned for November 1 at Teesside University and November 23 at Centre Square.

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