Coronavirus Update 4th March 2021

This week people aged 60 to 64 will be starting to receive their invitations to book their COVID jab.

Letters will be arriving from the national booking service inviting them to visit www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or call 119 free of charge to arrange their appointment. By following these steps, anyone in this group will be able to book an appointment at the larger vaccination centres or pharmacy led services.

Extending the programme to those aged 60 and over means that everyone in the first seven priority groups are now eligible for their vaccination, with people aged between 50 and 60 set to be invited shortly.

The NHS is encouraging everyone who has been invited to take up the offer. It doesn’t matter when you were invited, you can still come forward and protect yourself.

Please see an easy guide which sets out which groups are eligible and how you can book your vaccination if you are in these groups.

This is a handy guide and can be shared within your communities, networks and organisations.

Across our local area, vaccination services are preparing to offer second doses.

While the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine gives a good immunity to the virus, two doses are needed to have the best chance of full protection. Second doses are being scheduled up to twelve weeks after the first.

It is really important that people get both doses to get the greatest benefit from the vaccine.

If you don't already have your date for your second dose, please be patient. Unless you have already booked both doses through the national booking service, you must have your second dose at the same place that you received your first.

They will contact you to arrange your appointment, but this may not happen until around ten to eleven weeks after your first appointment.