Everybody over the age of 5 is eligible for the for the free covid vaccine.
The NHS will contact you when you are eligible and you can use the National Booking System to book your appointment. You may be able to use a local walk-in option (Not all age groups can use all walk-in offers - please check).
Important information:
Everyone is entitled to 2 jabs.
- Over 18 , 5-17 clinically extremely vulnerable - 2nd dose after 8 weeks.
- Under 18 - 2nd dose after 12 weeks.
- Some immunosuppressed will also be offered a 3rd primary dose.
Booster:
Everyone over the age of 16 is entitled to a booster (and 12-15 clinically extremely vulnerable).
Anyone who has had a positive Covid test will need to wait before getting any dose of the vaccine. You need to:
- wait 4 weeks (28 days) if you’re aged 18 years old or over
- wait 12 weeks (84 days) if you’re aged 5 to 17 years old
- wait 4 weeks (28 days) if you’re aged 5 to 17 years old and at high risk from Covid
This starts from the date you had symptoms, or the date of the positive test if you did not have any symptoms.
Spring Boosters:
Spring Boosters (4th vaccines) - over 75s, people living in a care home setting, immunosuppressed will be invited by the NHS to book.
Most people should wait 6 months between their last booster and their Spring booster unless you are immunosuppressed in which case you will be called earlier.
If you book an appointment and cannot keep it (you have taken up another offer or you are unwell) please cancel your original appointment so it can be offered to someone else.
You can find out more about drop-ins here:
https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-walk-in-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-site
Not all locations are able to offer the vaccine to 5-17 year olds.
Not all vaccine centres operate everyday.
Please check for suitable sessions on the national booking / walk-in systems.
Some of our Primary Care Teams are delivering the vaccine across the county.
There are also bookable options in north Cumbria:
• Carlisle – Boots UK in English Street
• Carlisle - Pharmacy in St Paul's Church, Lonsdale Street
• Carlisle – Harraby Community Centre
• Carlisle - Well Pharmacy on Blackwell Road
• Cockermouth - Allison’s at The Globe Hotel
• Kirkby Stephen – Upper Eden Baptist Church – Green Tree Pharmacy, Victoria Square
• Longtown - Longtown Community Centre
• Penrith – Conference Centre at the Rugby Club - Wellfield Pharmacy
• Penrith – Sports Hall, Newton Rigg Campus, Newton Road, CA11 0AH
• Seascale Pharmacy, Gosforth Road
• Workington - Pharmacy2U at Dunmail Park
• Workington - Moorclose Pharmacy, Westfield Drive
• Workington - Seaton Pharmacy on Main Road in Seaton
• Whitehaven - Seacliffe Pharmacy in Kells
• Whitehaven - Mirehouse Pharmacy Meadow Road in Mirehouse
New to the UK vaccination leaflet for migrants:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immunisation-information-for-migrants
This information is for anyone who has moved to the UK and advises them on the need to register with a GP to get up to date with their routine vaccinations. It explains the vaccines that at risk people with health conditions, pregnant women, infants, children and older adults need and the diseases this will help protect them from. It also signposts to the health services and where to get assistance and how to use the services.
- 'Moved to the UK migrant health immunisation' leaflet - English version
- 'Moved to the UK migrant health immunisation' leaflet - Ukrainian version
Further translated versions are available to download or print locally in the following languages:
Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional) Farsi, Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Portuguese, Romanian, Romany, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya, Turkish, and Urdu.
You do not need to be registered with a GP or show any immigration documentation to receive your covid vaccine.
You can go to a walk-in more information here:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/find-a-walk-in-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-site/
Walk-ins are dependent on vaccine availability.
We also have the COVID-19 programme resources for adults, pregnant women, children aged 12 to 17 and boosters to download:
- Covid-19-vaccination-for-people-with-a-weakened-immune-system - English version
- Covid-19-vaccination-for-people-with-a-weakened-immune-system - Ukrainian version
- Covid-19-vaccination-spring-booster-resources - English version
- Covid-19-vaccination-spring-booster-resources - Ukrainian version
- Covid-19-vaccination-guide-for-older-adults - English version
- Covid-19-vaccination-guide-for-older-adults - Ukrainian version
- What to expect, Easy Read adult guides - Ukrainian versions available
- Easy read guide for pregnant, childbearing or breastfeeding women - Ukrainian version
- Guides for children aged 12 to 17 years - Ukrainian version
- Guides for parents and carers of children aged 5 to 11 years - Ukrainian version
Are you eligible?
You are very welcome for your covid vaccine even if you have said no and changed your mind - you can still have your first, second and booster vaccine.
When you go for your jab you will be expected to wear a face covering in line with guidance around healthcare settings.
For any questions in relation to Covid Passes/Passports please see below for more information. If you need more advice call 119 or visit:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-covid-pass
Your local GP practice is not able to provide you with a letter that shows your COVID-19 vaccination status.
Graph showing a summary of the roll out of the covid vaccination
Vaccine status will be available from:
• the NHS App which you can download from app stores
• the NHS website (from 17 May 2021)
It may take more than a week for your identity to be checked and verified so you can use these services.
If you cannot access these online services, and you have had 2 vaccines, you can request a paper letter from the NHS by calling 119. Only call 119 if you had your second dose more than 5 working days ago. It may take 7 working days for the letter to arrive.
Your local GP practice is not able to provide you with a letter that shows your COVID-19 vaccination status.
When you're planning your travel, check the latest information on demonstrating your COVID-19 status when travelling abroad on the gov.uk website. Make sure there is time to get proof of your vaccination status before you leave.
Please note it is advisable to print out a copy of your status if travelling.
Advice if you are pregnant from Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said: “The COVID-19 jab can keep you, your baby and your loved ones, safe and out of hospital. You can receive vaccination at any time in pregnancy, but the risks that unvaccinated pregnant women face of becoming severely unwell if they catch COVID-19 show exactly why we advise you to do so as soon as possible."
We would urge anyone who is pregnant to get their vaccine and booster. All of the evidence points very clearly to the potentially dangerous impact of developing covid while you are pregnant. It can be very dangerous for you and your unborn baby to have covid.
The vaccine – like many other vaccines that are given routinely during pregnancy - is the best way to protect yourself and your unborn child. If you are worried, talk to your midwife or your doctor or look for information from experts such as:
• The RCOG - Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists:
https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/coronavirus-covid-19-pregnancy-and-womens-health/
This decision making sheet may help you work through any concerns: An information sheet and decision aid is available here which provides practical advice to think through decisions around the vaccine and pregnancy.
• The RCM – Royal College of Midwives:
https://www.rcm.org.uk/coronavirus-hub/
• British Immunology Society:
https://www.immunology.org/public-information/guide-vaccinations-for-covid-19
• The British Fertility Society:
https://www.britishfertilitysociety.org.uk/2021/07/27/bfs-arcs-covid-19-vaccines-fertility-2/
Latest information from the government:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-women-of-childbearing-age-currently-pregnant-planning-a-pregnancy-or-breastfeeding/covid-19-vaccinations-and-pregnancy-poster
• Further reading – you might be interested in the Full Fact Mythbuster on Fertility: https://fullfact.org/health/vaccine-covid-fertility
As ever – please have a conversation with your midwife and health care team about individual clinical issues and concerns.
For people seeking medical exemptions visit:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-medical-exemptions-proving-you-are-unable-to-get-vaccinated
For health professionals:
https://digital.nhs.uk/services/summary-care-record-application/covid-pass-medical-exemption
In the first instance the individual should contact 119 to request an exemption application form which can be completed and taken to your GP or consultant.
Please note the information in the application will be assessed against the DHSC clinical guidance.
There is a service that enables you to book an appointment to show evidence for any coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations you've had outside of England. This is so the NHS can securely update your vaccination record.
You can find out full information here.
Please note - There are currently a limited number of sites offering these appointments so the nearest site option may be some distance from us.
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