Over 70s and the clinically vulnerable have been advised they no longer need to wait for an invitation letter to book a Covid-19 vaccination in south east London.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust released a statement earlier today (February 5) with an important message for relevant Londoners.

If you live in London and are aged over 70 or are clinically extremely vulnerable, you can now book your Covid-19 vaccination appointment at Greenwich and Lewisham hospitals without needing an invitation letter.

Appointments can be made at vaccination centres, including Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich and University Hospital Lewisham.

Alternatively, you can book to have the vaccine at community pharmacists.

To book, visit the NHS website or call 119 free of charge.

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You no longer need to have a letter from the NHS to book; you just need to give your NHS number and date of birth.

However, if you would prefer to receive the vaccine at a GP surgery, then you should wait to be contacted.

"The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective and gives you the best protection from coronavirus. The sooner we are all vaccinated, the sooner we can see our friends and get London back to normal," added the trust.

Figures emerged last week which revealed that the region's health body, Our Healthier South East London, had the lowest number of over 80s vaccinated in England (60.0%).

Local bodies have pledged to 'rapidly increase' the speed of the vaccination rollout, with new centres openly up across south east London.