COVID-19 vaccination update

Please do not contact the practice to ask for a COVID-19 vaccination at this moment. You will be contacted when you are eligible and then contact us.

We have been asked by NHS England to start delivering the COVID-19 mass vaccination programme from 15 December. This will be done by working together with other local GP Practices (called a Primary Care Network) to provide the vaccines, rather doing vaccinations here at the practice.

To enable everyone to get the vaccine in a safe and controlled way, a prioritisation list has been established so the vaccine can be delivered to groups who need it first.

We will contact you when you are eligible to receive the vaccine and provide you with information about location and date, so please don't contact the practice to ask for a vaccine before then, or come down to surgery to book your appointment.

We are working hard to plan the delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations, while continuing to deliver the largest ever flu vaccine campaign and supporting our patients with routine and urgent health requests. On that basis, we are unable to answer additional questions about the COVID vaccine.

However, to help answer your likely questions, we have tried to summarise the key information you need to know about the upcoming COVID-19 vaccination campaign, along with sharing details of the way patient groups will be prioritised:

The vaccine will be given in order of priority to those at highest risk first.

We will be in contact with you with information about where and when you will need to receive the vaccine.

Please act on your invite when it comes, and make sure you attend your appointments when you arrange them.

Please continue to abide by all the social distancing and hand hygiene guidance, which will still save lives.

 

What are the inital priority groups?

The initial cohort of patients called are the over 80s

 

Other cohorts include:

- Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers.
- Frontline health and social care workers .
- All those 75 years of age and over 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals (excluding pregnant women and those under 16).
- All those 65 years of age and over.
- All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality.
 - All those 60 years of age and over.
 - All those 55 years of age and over.
-  All those 50 years of age and over
- The rest of the population (priority to be determined).
 

COVID Vaccine - Frequently Asked Questions .

1. How does the COVID vaccine work?

Most vaccines work by triggering an immune response from a weakened or inactive germ that causes the disease. The Covid vaccine works by giving our body a set of instructions to make a harmless "spike protein" which will create the antibodies and cells required to fight off coronavirus. As there is no whole or live virus involved, the vaccine cannot cause disease.

2. Why do we need a vaccine for COVID?

There are no drugs known to prevent or cure Covid 19. A few drugs have been found to reduce the death rate from Covid, but only a vaccine can prevent people catching the disease and being ill from it.

3. How effective is the COVID vaccine?

The vaccine is around 95% effective. This means that more than 9 pitople out of 10 will be prevented from catching COVID if they are vaccinated. This lccine is more effective than the flu vaccine which is around 70% effective.
 

4. The COVID vaccine has been developed very quickly. Is it safe?

Most vaccines take some years to develop. The reason the COVID vaccine has been developed quickly is because:

• The researchers already had experience with developing similar vaccines
• Funding (which is normally a barrier) has been readily available
• Multiple teams were working on different parts of the development at the same time

All the normal safety checks have been completed on the COVID vaccine -they were just done at great speed.

6. Are there any people who cannot have the COVID vaccine?

• Anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to the COVIDtvaccine
• Pregnant and breastfeeding (but research trials starting in 201)
• Under 16s (but research trials starting in 2021)
• Within 7 days of receiving another vaccine
• Acute feverish illness
• Within 4 weeks of a COVID type illness

7. Are there any side effects to the COVID vaccine?

The side effects are mild-moderate and only last a few days. Common side effects can include:
 (usually last a few days)

Mild pain at injection site.
Tiredness.
Headache.
Chills and muscle pains.
Joint pains.
Fever.
Swollen glands.

8. Willi have to self-isolate if I have a fever after the COVID vaccine?

No -if you have a fever within the first two days of having the vaccine, and you have no other symptoms of coronavirus, you do not need to self-isolate.

9. How is the COVID vaccine given?

It is usually given in to the muscle of the upper arm and a second dose is given either 21 or 28 days later (depending on the type of vaccine). You will not be fully protected until 7 days after your second dose.

10. Do I still need the vaccine if I think I have had COVID 19?

Yes -it is unknown what level of protection a previous infection can give you, so everyone is encouraged to have the Vaccine.

11. Willi need a booster of the vaccine at a later stage?

At this  stage, boosters are not recommended. It is unclear how long vaccine immunity will last and this will become clearer with further trial data.
 

12. Will having the vaccine mean I can travel and lead a normal life?

There are no current plans for a COVID vaccine "passport" and normal rules of "hands/face/space" will still apply. This may change as more people get vaccinated and there are less infections present

Published: Dec 10, 2020