COLCHESTER residents have been praised for flocking to get their Covid-19 vaccines over the weekend while volunteers have been thanked.

The NHS Community Vaccination Team’s mobile jabbing facility pulled into St Margaret’s Church Hall, in Stansted Road, Monkwick on Saturday.

The arrival of the bus was met by queues of people looking to get themselves and their loves one protected against coronavirus and the new Omicron variant.

Dave Harris, Colchester councillor for Shrub End and Berechurch, attended the vaccination event alongside Mark Snelling, from St Margaret’s Church.

He said: “A really successful vaccine bus event in Monkwick happened on Saturday – there were queues all the way down Stansted Road and they were good natured.

“Lots of first, second and booster jabs were administered, people were eager to get here and the NHS and volunteers from Community 360 gave out mince pies.

“Huge thanks from myself to the church for such great community support.”

A spokeswoman for the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Colchester Hospital, has now reiterated the importance of getting jabbed.

She said: “We urge anyone who hasn’t yet been vaccinated, or boosted, to get their jab as soon as they can by using the national booking system.”