COVID vaccinations will be offered at Reading from 9:30 am-5 pm from the start of the festival through to Sunday (August 29), and from 9 am-1 pm on Monday (August 30). Whereas at Leeds, jabs will be available between 10 am and 4 pm from today through to Sunday, and from 8 am-11 am on Monday.

Health professionals will also be present at the festivals in order to offer advice and answer any questions that people may have, however anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be given the vaccine.

According to NME Dr Nikki Kanani, a GP and deputy lead for NHS England’s vaccination programme, stated “Thanks to the hard work of NHS staff and volunteers, more than half a million young people aged 16 and 17 have had their first dose as teams across the country have worked tirelessly to get their communities protected, vaccinating at convenient pop-up clinics in the park, at places of worship and stadiums, and now at Reading and Leeds. It is great to see the return of live music and performances, and as festival-goers head to the main stage this weekend to see their favourite headliners, I am also urging anyone who hasn’t to add the ‘vaccine tent’ to their festival itinerary to get that lifesaving vaccine as the best protection we can get from coronavirus.”

It should also be noted that if you decide to leave the site at any point you will need to again provide proof of your COVID status.

Please note: If you are leaving the site at any point over the weekend to go to your car, the shop, or elsewhere you will need to show proof of your Covid status again on re-entry. So don’t forget your lateral flows ‼️ pic.twitter.com/lf9JDQhroO

— Reading & Leeds Fest (@OfficialRandL) July 30, 2021

Festivalgoers were also previously offered the vaccine at Latitude 2021, which was one of the first festivals to be held at full capacity after the COVID restrictions were lifted.

For those attending the festival according to the Met Office,  both Reading and Leeds are likely to enjoy a dry weekend. There is a less than five per cent chance of rain across the entire period, though there is a slight increase to 10 per cent at some points. Attendees from both southern and northern legs could see highs of 21°

The organisers of the festivals yesterday (August 13) confirmed that a small number of previously announced acts will no longer perform at this year’s festivals.

Gallows, 070 Shake, Spiritbox, Cleopatrick and Surfaces have all pulled out “due to various restrictions and logistics”.

However despite this unfortunate news Reading & Leeds have added a number of new names to their 2021 line-up, with Mimi Webb, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Will Joseph Cook, Blondes, Loathe, Holding Absence, Dea Matrona, Police Car Collective, Mega, Fur and Andrew Cushin all set to play at the festivals.

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This year’s festivals will take place from August 27-29, with the likes of Stormzy, Post Malone and Liam Gallagher set to headline. Comedians Katherine Ryan, Joel Dommett and Simon Amstell will also perform at Reading & Leeds 2021. You can see the newly updated line-up here.

Last month Biffy Clyro was announced as the replacements for co-headliners Queens Of The Stone Age, who also pulled out of performing “due to restrictions and logistics”.

Earlier this week it was announced that Reading & Leeds will implement ‘Look Out for Each Other’, an extensive drug outreach campaign, at this month’s festivals.

A collaboration between festival organisers Festival Republic and the local councils in both Reading and Leeds, ‘Look Out for Each Other’ will show a series of animations which will be viewable on all the big screens around both festival sites and across the two events, as well as via their social media.