The NHS is hoping sending text messages and reminders to the public with lead to a rise in Covid-19 vaccine uptake.

Texts will now be sent to almost 400,000 people aged 55 and over and 40,000 unpaid carers, with a weblink so they can reserve an appointment at one of more than 300 vaccination centres or pharmacies across England.

If people haven’t taken up their offer for the coronavirus vaccine, the NHS will then send a reminder every two to three weeks.

Some GP-led and hospital vaccination services are already using text messages to invite people for a vaccine.

Anyone who prefers not to travel to a vaccination centre or pharmacy-led site can choose to wait to be invited by their GP.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Our vaccination rollout is moving at a blistering speed and these text alerts will increase the pace by making it even easier for people to get booked in for their jab.

“Thanks to the tireless work of our NHS staff, two in every five adults now have some degree of protection.

“Vaccines are the best way of securing our long-term freedom and will save thousands of lives, so I urge everyone to take up the offer when the text pings into their phone.”

Across the UK to date, more than 22 million people have received a first dose of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca jab.

How to know it is not a scam

With the number of scams circulating as a result of the pandemic, people are being told what to look out for to know when it is not a scam.

The new text message will be sent using the Government’s secure Notify service and will show as being sent from ‘NHSvaccine’.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and NHS medical director for primary care, said: “We know that some people are rightly worried about scams going around, but if the message comes from ‘NHSvaccine’ and links to the NHS.uk website you can be sure that it’s the right invite.

“For any messages you might get about the vaccine, always remember that the NHS will never ask you for your bank account or card details, your PIN or banking password.

“The NHS will also never arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine, or ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.”