Long queues formed all day at the entrance to La Zenia Boulevard on Tuesday as hundreds of people lined up to receive a covid vaccination.

The drop in centre, organised by the Torrevieja Health Department, in collaboration with the Orihuela City Council’s Health Department, proved to be a great success with a spokesman saying that it could be the first of many at the shopping concourse.

Health personnel indicated that between 500 and a thousand people had already been vaccinated with the Pfizer dose by 4pm with the facility remaining open for a further 4 hours.

Although the queues were both constant and lengthy, at times approaching 400 metres, the service was both efficient and relatively speedy, with no one waiting for more than an hour.

The campaign was aimed at those over 11 years of age who are yet to be vaccinated, with the health authorities warning that the epidemiological situation is worrying, especially in the Torrevieja health area where approximately 18% of the population, almost one in five people, are still to receive their first jab.

The threatened disruption by demonstrators failed to materialise with just 2 women, who were quickly ushered off the private site by security guards.

The threatened disruption by demonstrators failed to materialise with just 2 women, who were quickly ushered off the private site by security guards.