The Essex Vax Van parks outside Barclays on Chelmsford High Street on 12 November and 3 December, 10am to 3pm. Eligible people can drop in, no booking.

The Essex Vax Van will park outside Barclays Bank on Chelmsford High Street from 10am to 3pm tomorrow, Thursday 12 November, and again on Thursday 3 December. Anyone eligible for an NHS flu or COVID-19 vaccine can walk up and get it there. You do not need an appointment.

NHS Essex, the integrated care board that runs the NHS budget for the county, announced the two visits on 11 November. It is a chance to get the jab while you are in town, rather than waiting for a slot at a GP surgery or pharmacy.

Who can get a vaccine at the van

The two programmes have different rules, so check which one you qualify for.

COVID-19 vaccine. NHS Essex says the COVID-19 programme is open to:

  • people aged 75 or over;
  • people aged 6 months to 74 who have a weakened immune system;
  • residents of a care home for older adults.

Flu vaccine. The free flu vaccine is for people who:

  • are aged 65 or over;
  • have certain long-term health conditions, or are immunosuppressed;
  • are pregnant;
  • live in a care home;
  • live with someone who has a weakened immune system;
  • are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive carer’s allowance;
  • are aged 16 or over and sleeping rough or staying in a homeless hostel or night shelter.

Children aged two and three, and home-schooled children from reception to year 11, can also have their flu vaccine at the van. Children who go to school get theirs through school.

Why go now

“Getting vaccinated before winter viruses start circulating more widely gives people the best protection through the winter months,” NHS Essex said. It added that protection from the flu vaccine can take up to 14 days to develop, so a jab on 12 November would be working by the end of the month.

“People who are at greatest risk of serious illness are eligible for NHS vaccination programmes,” NHS Essex said. “In high-risk groups, viruses can lead to hospital treatment and can be life-threatening.”

Who runs the van

The van is run by the East of England Community and School-Aged Immunisation Service, which is provided by Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust and also covers Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Norfolk and Waveney, and Suffolk. NHS Essex says the van is part of the county’s winter vaccination programme and “makes getting vaccinated easier by bringing services directly into local communities.”

If you cannot get to the High Street

Adults can book a vaccine at a GP practice or a pharmacy. Children aged two and three can have their flu vaccine at a GP practice or some pharmacies, and school-aged children can get it at school or at a community clinic. The NHS vaccinations pages have the details.

For the figures behind the advice, the UK Health Security Agency publishes its annual flu report for winter 2025 to 2026 and a COVID-19 hospital data dashboard.