Milton Keynes residents are receiving invites to the new mass vaccination centre in Stevenage

The centre at Robertson House will initially be used to vaccinate people local to the area over the age of 80 against the coronavirus.

Thousands of letters are being sent to those eligible to receive the jab. As well as being over 80 the site is currently targeting people who live within a 45 minute of the drive of the site, urging them to make an appointment.

Nurses, physios, doctors and other NHS staff based closely to the centre are also being jabbed along with social care and home care workers.

Currently, the Stevenage centre is the closest of the mass vaccination centres opening in the UK, other sites include the Excel Centre in London and the Etihad Centre in Manchester.

The MK Citizen revealed last month that plans are in place for a mass vaccination centre to open in Central Milton Keynes in Saxon Court. But the Stevenage centre provides another avenue for the most-vulnerable to receive protection against the virus.

Councillor Pete Marland previously called for more vaccines to be sent to Milton Keynes following the spike in COVID-19 cases at the end of last year.

COVID-19 jabs are currently being administered to people aged over 80 at MK Hospital and Water Eaton health centre in Bletchley.

NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commissioning Group said: "If you are over 80 and have received a letter today in Bedford, Luton, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes inviting you to make an appointment for the covid vaccine at a centre outside of your area please don't worry.

"This is an invite to a regional centre. You can either book to go to the centre, or go to a centre closer to your home. GPs are delivering vaccinations and in the coming weeks more centres will open. If you'd sooner rather have your vaccine closer to home you don't need to do anything. Your GP will contact you."

If you are eligible for a vaccination slot at the Stevenage Centre, you can book your appointment online by using the national online booking system or by phone.

The government aim to have vaccinated 12 million people by mid-February, with the latest statistics showing first doses have been administered on 1.3 million people in the UK.