Two new vaccination centres will open their doors in Suffolk this week.

The new centres will join Gainsborough Sports Centre and the former Riverwalk School in Bury St Edmunds which are already vaccinating Suffolk patients.

The first to open will be in Mildenhall at the current West Suffolk Council offices on College Heath Road.

The site will welcome its first patients on Friday, March 12.

A day later, another new vaccine centre will open its doors for the first time in Haverhill at the Unity Trust Offices on Park Road.

The NHS is urging people only to come to the vaccination centre if they have a booked appointment and to arrive no more than five minutes before their booking.

People aged 55 and over and unpaid carers are receiving text messages from the NHS this week inviting them to book an appointment via the national booking service.

Dr Ed Garratt, chief executive, Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System, said: “The opening of these new centres will undoubtedly strengthen the vaccination drive, which is already going incredibly well and will enable everyone in phase one priority groups to be offered a vaccination by the mid-April.

“I’m incredibly proud of what the staff and volunteers have achieved so far and know their continued hard work will help us in our fight against Covid-19.”

John Griffiths, leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “West Suffolk has, with partners, been at the forefront of the response to Covid-19 helping the NHS where we can and delivering key services. We are really pleased to be able to play our part in the vaccination programme by providing facilities in our Mildenhall offices.

"We urge anyone who is eligible to have their vaccine and to continue following the hands, face, space guidance to help protect the NHS and save lives."

Tim Coulson, chief executive of Unity Schools Partnership, said: “We are delighted that some of our office space in Haverhill has been taken over as a vaccination centre and are excited to see local people given protection from coronavirus.

“We pay tribute to the great work of NHS colleagues, volunteers and everyone involved in managing such an amazing job of rapid vaccination right across the country."