Covid Vaccines

Posted by: Monifa - Posted on:

The NHS is now offering vaccinations to people who are most at risk from Covid-19. This follows the approval of both the Pfizer BioNTech and Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines as safe and effective, after extensive trials. 

The first vaccinations are being offered to people in the priority groups identified by the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), starting with people in care homes and those aged 80 and over. Groups of GP practices are working together to provide local vaccination service and will contact eligible patient when it is their turn. 

When it is your turn, you will receive and invitation via the phone or through a letter either from your GP or the national booking system. We know lots of people will be eager to get protected but please could we kindly ask you not to contact the Practice for information about the vaccine or to ask for an appointment, as you will not be able to get one until you receive an invitation. 

Please note that vaccinations are free of charge and only available through the NHS. Anyone who claims to be able to provide you with a vaccine for a fee is likely to be commiting a crime and should be reported to the Police online or by calling 112. The NHS will never ask you to press a button on your keypad or send a text asking you to confirm you want the vaccine. 

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

Information about the Covid vaccination can be found here: COVID Vaccine Leaflet for Adults

Genuine emails from the NHS are usually sent from ‘NHSNoReply’. If you get a suspicious text message about vaccinations from an unknown number, please delete it.

More info: www.calderdaleccg.nhs.uk/coronavirus-vaccination-help-us-help-you/

Oxford AstraZenica Covid-19

New guidance has been issued for the use of the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

This follows further reviews by the independent regulator, the MHRA, and the Commission for Human Medicines, of a very small number of people in the UK who have developed a rare blood-clotting condition since having the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

The MHRA and Joint Committee for Vaccinations and Immunisations have emphasised that the risk of this condition is extremely small and that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people. They have recommended that:

  • Everyone who has had the AstraZeneca vaccine should still have a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, irrespective of age, unless they suffered any serious side effects after their first vaccination.
  • People aged 30 and over or who have a health condition that puts them at higher risk of severe Covid-19 disease should still be offered the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. The benefits in protecting them against the serious consequences of COVID-19 outweigh any risk of this rare condition.
  • People aged 18-29 who do not have a health condition that puts them at higher risk of severe Covid-19 disease will be offered an alternative Covid-19 vaccine where available. (This has been recommended as a precaution as people under 30 are at less risk from Covid-19 and not because they are considered to be at particular risk of developing the rare blood clot.)
  • People under 30 can still choose to have the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine if this will mean they can be protected more quickly and they have been made aware of the guidance.

Please see the leaflet below that has been produced by Public Health England and the NHS to answer any questions you may have

Leaflet on COVID-19 vaccination and blood clotting