MORE people than ever are expected to get the covid booster jab next week - with plans to extend hours at Worcester Racecourse.

The numbers turning up for their jab at the walk-in clinic at the Grandstand this week has astounded health chiefs.

But Dave McDowell, patient quality manager at Worcester City PCN, said they expect next week will be its busiest yet and are extending the walk-in clinic's hours to cope with demand.

Worcester Racecourse will be open from 9am to 8pm Monday to Thursday with plans to open on December 28 to 30 too with hours to be confirmed.

He said: "This week has gone really well and to be fair we had to pull in favours to get extra vaccines - that's how popular it has been.

"It's been massively popular. I don't think anyone knew it was going to be as popular as it has been.

"It's been a massive success. We knew Monday morning was going to be busy but we were just all saying 'oh my god have you seen the queue outside?'"

"Monday evening we had people crying because we had closed however they were vaccinated the next day.

"It just goes to show much people want to get vaccinated.

"But I think it is going to be busier next week which is one of the reasons we have extended the hours.

"I think we have got to give everyone as much chance as possible to get vaccinated.

"If someone is in a 9 to 5 job we don't want them to miss out which is why we've extended the opening hours to 8pm."

Mr McDowell described it as a military operation at Worcester Racecourse with GP practice staff putting in double shifts and volunteers from St Johns Ambulance lending a hand.

He paid tribute to the staff and volunteers working hard and said he was immensely proud of their hard work.

But it is not just inside the centre where people are being jabbed - the staff also have contingency plans for those who are homebound or do not feel able to enter the centre.

"Someone came in the other day who had agoraphobia, didn't like leaving the house and was really intimidated about going inside so we vaccinated them in the car.

"We have people going out to visit people who are housebound.

"We don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable, we want to make people feel safe so if that means we vaccinate someone on the car park, we will."