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| Covid: Website crashes as thousands try to book boosters | Covid: Website crashes as thousands try to book boosters |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| More than 100,000 people trying to book their Covid booster jabs on Monday has led to the NHS website crashing, the government has said. | More than 100,000 people trying to book their Covid booster jabs on Monday has led to the NHS website crashing, the government has said. |
| Lateral flow test kits are also unavailable on the government website after a rush to order them. | Lateral flow test kits are also unavailable on the government website after a rush to order them. |
| This came after the prime minister said over-18s in England would be offered a third dose by the end of the year. | This came after the prime minister said over-18s in England would be offered a third dose by the end of the year. |
| And fully jabbed people will be advised to test themselves daily if they are a contact of a Covid case from Tuesday. | And fully jabbed people will be advised to test themselves daily if they are a contact of a Covid case from Tuesday. |
| Long queues at walk-in vaccine centres in England were also reported on Monday after Boris Johnson announced an expansion to the booster rollout on Sunday evening, in response to the Omicron variant. | Long queues at walk-in vaccine centres in England were also reported on Monday after Boris Johnson announced an expansion to the booster rollout on Sunday evening, in response to the Omicron variant. |
| At least one person in the UK has died with Omicron, the prime minister confirmed on Monday. | |
| How do I book my booster vaccine? | How do I book my booster vaccine? |
| Race on between virus and vaccine - Javid | Race on between virus and vaccine - Javid |
| PM's message to sit up and pay attention | PM's message to sit up and pay attention |
| Online bookings for the over 30s opened from Monday, while 18-29 year olds are due to begin booking on Wednesday. | Online bookings for the over 30s opened from Monday, while 18-29 year olds are due to begin booking on Wednesday. |
| An NHS Digital spokesperson said: "The vaccine booking service is facing extremely high demand and is operating a queuing system to manage numbers. | An NHS Digital spokesperson said: "The vaccine booking service is facing extremely high demand and is operating a queuing system to manage numbers. |
| "We would advise people currently unable to book to try again later today or tomorrow." | "We would advise people currently unable to book to try again later today or tomorrow." |
| Jo, 37, from Cambridge told the BBC it had taken her three hours to book an appointment for January and she had gone "round in circles" before managing to do so. | Jo, 37, from Cambridge told the BBC it had taken her three hours to book an appointment for January and she had gone "round in circles" before managing to do so. |
| Separately, there has been an issue with ordering lateral flow tests from the government website, which says "there are no more home tests available". | Separately, there has been an issue with ordering lateral flow tests from the government website, which says "there are no more home tests available". |
| Free rapid tests are available from pharmacies as well. | |
| Asked about the issues getting tests online, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was a "ready supply". | |
| He added: "But what I think, if I may say so, what that also shows is that people are doing the sensible thing and getting tests as well." | |
| Government sources told the BBC the problem would be resolved in a matter of hours after the rapid tests were restocked. | |
| The rush for tests followed news that from Tuesday people who have been in contact with a Covid case will not need to isolate if their daily tests remain negative for seven days, and if they have had at least two vaccine doses. | |
| Anyone who has a positive result from a rapid test should take a PCR test to verify the result, as well as continue to self-isolate. | |
| This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
| To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
| Watch: Health Secretary Sajid Javid is asked if Covid measures are out of step with the risk from Omicron | Watch: Health Secretary Sajid Javid is asked if Covid measures are out of step with the risk from Omicron |
| At Wimbledon's Centre Court shopping centre in south-west London, the queue for walk-in jabs stretched from one end of the building to the other after just 30 minutes of being open. | At Wimbledon's Centre Court shopping centre in south-west London, the queue for walk-in jabs stretched from one end of the building to the other after just 30 minutes of being open. |
| By 09:00 GMT, more than 100 adults - mostly under-40s wearing masks and some with babies in buggies - were waiting. | By 09:00 GMT, more than 100 adults - mostly under-40s wearing masks and some with babies in buggies - were waiting. |
| In the West Midlands, a long queue of about 200 people was forming around a car park and side roads at the back of the vaccination centre in Lye, near Stourbridge. | In the West Midlands, a long queue of about 200 people was forming around a car park and side roads at the back of the vaccination centre in Lye, near Stourbridge. |
| People at the front said they had waited for about an hour to reach the entrance, with some people with booked appointments choosing to leave after being forced to wait. | People at the front said they had waited for about an hour to reach the entrance, with some people with booked appointments choosing to leave after being forced to wait. |
| On Monday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned the UK was in a "race between the virus and the vaccine" over the spread of Omicron. | On Monday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned the UK was in a "race between the virus and the vaccine" over the spread of Omicron. |
| He said the new highly-transmissible Covid-19 variant was spreading at a "phenomenal rate", with cases doubling every two to three days. | He said the new highly-transmissible Covid-19 variant was spreading at a "phenomenal rate", with cases doubling every two to three days. |
| How have you been affected by issues with getting a booster vaccine? Please get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | How have you been affected by issues with getting a booster vaccine? Please get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways: |
| WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803 | WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803 |
| Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay | Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay |
| Or fill out the form below | Or fill out the form below |
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| IN THE END, ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHO BELIEVES HIM: A young man fights to prove his innocence | IN THE END, ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHO BELIEVES HIM: A young man fights to prove his innocence |
| WHAT NEXT FOR BARBADOS?: Life in the world's newest republic | WHAT NEXT FOR BARBADOS?: Life in the world's newest republic |