Walk-in appointments offered to eligible patients at Medway’s mass vaccination centre have been cancelled.

People aged over 50 able to receive their first jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the facility in Chatham were set to be able to walk up from 8.30am today.

Meanwhile, those who have had a jab at least 77 days ago were also invited to walk in for their second dose at the Pentagon centre.

But the offer was withdrawn early this morning, it has been confirmed by the NHS.

The NHS and government announced all over 45s are now being offered a vaccine after reaching the target to offer all over 50s a jab before April 15.

When the booking system went live on Tuesday, all available walk-in slots which had been planned were booked up.

Patients arriving at the vaccine centre on Wednesday morning were turned away and asked to leave.

A short walk-in clinic took place on Monday when residents in the qualifying age bracket were able to attend the centre without a booked appointment and wait in line to be admitted.

A spokesman for the Kent Community NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the five mass vaccine centres across the county, said: "Due to the early opening of the national booking system for people aged 45 and over, they are no longer able to accept walk-ins at the Pentagon Centre this week."

Anyone eligible for a vaccine now – aged over 45, frontline health and social care workers, those with an existing health condition which puts them at a higher risk, those with a learning disability and if you are a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus - should click here or phone 119

The centre at the Pentagon opened last month in the former DW Sports unit.

Mass vaccine centres had closed their doors for all first doses from April 1 amid shortages of supply arriving in the UK. Second doses have continued as planned.

More than one million jabs have been administered across Kent for first and second doses.

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