COVID-19 Vaccination Leaflets

Leaflets and resources in relation to COVID vaccinations

Covid-19 Vaccine leaflets in alternative languages and accessible formats

Further resources of covid vaccine leaflets in alternative languages and other accessible formats.


Who is being vaccinated next in north Cumbria?

The NHS is prioritising vaccinating those that experts have agreed will benefit from having it the most, as they are at most risk. 

People in cohorts 5, 6 and 7 are being invited by the NHS to have their vaccine.
 
These are:

•       Cohort 5 - all those 65 years of age and over
•       Cohort 6 - all individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
•   Unpaid carers, including those in receipt of carers allowance, are also part of cohort 6 and are part of Primary Care’s roll out. The NHS will be working with relevant partner organisations to ensure that the vaccine is delivered to unpaid carers as part of the cohort.
•    Cohort 7 - all those 60 years of age and over

  • ​​​​- Local GP vaccination services will be vaccinating patients in cohorts 5, 6 and 7.


Please note that 'Local GP vaccination services' are your GPs working together in local areas as part of Primary Care Networks (PCNs).  We have eight of these networks across north Cumbria who are delivering the vaccine from nine hubs.
 
People may also receive a letter from the National Booking Service, providing an alternative option which invites them to book at a Large Vaccination Centre. However as you would need to travel further for your vaccination it might be more convenient for people to wait for their local vaccination service run by their GPs to get in touch. Everyone in the priority cohorts who want to have a vaccination can do so from their local GP vaccination service.

The nearest Large Vaccination Centres at the moment are located in Kendal, Ulverston and Lancaster. There are also sites in the North East at Newcastle’s Centre for Life and the NHS Nightingale Hospital North East, Sunderland with a third Large Vaccination Centre location opening in Durham opening soon. 
If you want to wait to be called by your local GP vaccination service then please do not respond to the national booking service invitation.

Work is ongoing to develop a Large Vaccination Centre for north Cumbria and we will update any progress when a date for opening is confirmed.


The way the cohorts are being invited may result in a younger person with an underlying health condition being offered an appointment before someone in the over 65 year age group. This doesn't mean you have been missed so please wait until the NHS contacts you. 
 
In the meantime the message remains the same - the NHS will be in contact with you when the time is right for you to be invited for your vaccine.

If you are over 70 years old and have still not been contacted please now make contact with your surgery so they can advise you on when you can expect an appointment.
 
If you have had a vaccination please continue to follow the national guidance at this time, stay home, protect the NHS and help to save lives.

All people registered as having a Learning Disability with their GP are being prioritised for a Covid vaccine in north Cumbria. 

This is in line with the advice issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published this week.

Many adults with conditions such as Down’s Syndrome have already been offered a jab as part of Cohort 4.
Already people with a ‘severe or profound’ learning disability were being called as part of Cohort 6.
Now all those registered with Learning Disability with their GP will be called by their Practice as part of Cohort 6.

Please be patient. It will take a number of weeks to get through everyone in Cohort 6.

The national deadlines are:
•    Cohort 6 will be done over the next few weeks
•    all over 50s by the middle of April
•    all adults by the end of July

Easy read vaccination leaflets and other LD resources here.

Unpaid carers are eligible for the covid vaccine as part of Cohort 6 defined by the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI).

The definition given for those eligible is:
•    Eligible for carer’s allowance 
•    Those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable. (This includes: those clinically vulnerable to COVID include children with severe neuro-disabilities, those who are designated Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV), adults who have underlying health conditions and those who need care because of advanced age. 

A few things it may be helpful to understand:
•    It will take the NHS several weeks to call all of those who are part of Cohort 6 so please be patient.
•    There is a lot of work going on to ensure all those eligible will be picked up
•    We’ll update once we have a process for people to register their eligibility

You might receive a letter from the national booking service inviting you to book at a large vaccination centre (LVC) if you receive carers allowance. The nearest LVC s are currently at Kendal, Ulverston, Lancaster and the north east but more opportunities will be coming to north Cumbria shortly.

We know many carers have already been vaccinated as they fall into the over 65 age group, or may themselves by clinically vulnerable.

We are working to the national deadlines:
•    Cohort 6 in the next few weeks
•    all over 50s by the middle of April
•    all adults by the end of July

The national covid vaccine programme allocates vaccine to Primary Care Networks (PCNs are groups of GPs working together locally) and hubs across the UK. This is to ensure that the vaccine is shared across our communities. It means our hubs sometimes get less than we would like, and sometimes we get more. This is decided at a national level.

There are many challenges delivering a programme of this size across the UK. There are deliveries weekly. Currently GPs are calling in patients in Cohorts 5 and 6. This is a big group and will take us some weeks to vaccinate. Please be patient – we will get to you.

Some people will also receive letters from the national booking service inviting them to travel to a large vaccination site – our closest sites are in Kendal, Ulverston, Lancaster and the north east. This may be an offer some people are able (and want) to take up. We understand for most people this will not be possible – you don’t need to do anything. You will still be called by your practice and invited to have the jab locally. 

We are working to the national deadlines:
•    all over 50s by the middle of April
•    all adults by the end of July
 

Please note: Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are groups of GP practices working together in a local area – offer the vaccine in north Cumbria. The PCNs are working together to offer the vaccine from one local hub, so you might have to go to a different building.

8 December 2020
West Cumberland Hospital is one of the first sites in the UK to give the vaccine
From North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

15 December 2020
The first GP Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in north Cumbria start to give the vaccine

Carlisle – Carlisle Healthcare PCN (Primary Care Network)

Copeland – Copeland PCN (Primary Care Network)

21 - 23 December 2020
Further GP Practices in north Cumbria start to provide the vaccine including Castlegate and Derwent Surgery.

Castlegate and Derwent.png

Eden – Eden PCN (Primary Care Network)

Keswick and Solway PCN (Primary Care Network)

More Primary Care Networks in North Cumbria will 'go live' with their vaccination roll-out soon...


4 January 2021

The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle (North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust) begin to deliver Covid Vaccinations.

 

6 January 2021

Workington was the next Primary Care Network to go live with the vaccine. 

7 January 2021

Brampton and Longtown Primary Care Network go live with the vaccine at local community centre in Brampton.

8 January 2021

Maryport begins their vaccination programme:

Maryport 3.jpg  Maryport 1.jpg 

& Carlisle Network PCN 

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On this page

You can also find national information about the vaccine here: 
> More information about the vaccine – any further questions may be answered here > Everything you need to know about what’s in the vaccines and how they’re made can be found here

Scroll down this page further to view:
  • Questions and Answers
  • FAQs around fertility and pregnancy and the covid vaccines

What is happening?

  • The COVID-19 vaccine is currently being offered to people most at risk from coronavirus.

    The NHS will let you know when it's your turn to have it.
    Please do not ring your GP Practice, they will contact you when it's your turn.
     
  • GP Practices are working together in Primary Care Networks (PCNs) , delivering the vaccine from local hubs. 
  • There are 8 Primary Care Networks (PCNs) across north Cumbria delivering the vaccine from 9 main hubs. You may need to visit a building/location that isn't your GP practice.
  • It is a big team effort involving  - GPs, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, healthcare assistants and admin teams.
  • They are also carrying on with business as usual – seeing patients face to face and on the phone and online. Please be patient.
  • We are working through the priority groups as identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
  • You may also be invited to book a slot at a Large Vaccination Centre, to which you will have to travel (or you can wait to be called by your local GP).

Where are we up to in north Cumbria?

  • People in cohorts 5, 6 and 7 are being invited by the NHS to have their vaccine. These are:

    - Cohort 5 - all those 65 years of age and over
    - Cohort 6 - all individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
    - Unpaid carers, including those in receipt of carers allowance, providing care to adults and children who are extremely clinically vulnerable, are also part of cohort 6. The NHS is working with relevant partner organisations to ensure that the vaccine is delivered to unpaid carers.  National guidance on the process for inviting carers for vaccination is expected soon. 
    - Cohort 7 - all those 60 years of age and over.
    - Local GP vaccination services will be vaccinating patients in cohorts 5, 6 and 7.

    Some patients will receive invites to be vaccinated in Large Vaccination Centres. The nearest Large Vaccination Centres at the moment are located in Kendal, Ulverston and Lancaster. There are also sites in the North East at Newcastle’s Centre for Life and the NHS Nightingale Hospital North East, Sunderland and Durham.
    If you want to wait to be called by your local GP vaccination service then please do not respond to the national booking service invitation - you won't be forgotten.
    Work is ongoing to develop a Large Vaccination Centre for north Cumbria and we will update any progress when a date for opening is confirmed.

  • If you are worried that someone over 70 has been missed please first discuss this with the individual concerned and then support them to contact the practice

  • If you have previously been offered and refused the vaccine but have now changed your mind please contact your GP.

  • Please be patient we are working through the priority groups as identified by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).  Cohort 6 is a very large group so it will take time to vaccinate everyone in this cohort.

  • We need to keep our phone lines clear for those seeking medical advice and help. Please do not ring your GP to try and book your vaccine.

    Thank you for your patience


Important information if you have had the vaccine

You must continue to follow the guidelines after you have had your first and second vaccines. 

Keep reducing your contact. Follow the hands, face and space guidance. This is to make sure that while you have protection you don’t pass it on to other people. The government will let us know when we can start to relax how we follow the rules. For now we must do all we can to help reduce the spread of covid.

Questions and Answers

Is the NHS confident the vaccine is safe?  Will vaccines still be provided/can I still attend my appointment during the national lockdown? Where are the vaccination hubs located? How effective are the vaccines?  How long do they take to work? What vaccines are currently available? What happens if a person has the first jab but not the second? Why are you postponing second doses?

Is the NHS confident the vaccine is safe? 

Yes. The NHS will not offer any Covid-19 vaccinations to the public until independent experts have signed off that it is safe to do so.   
  
The MHRA, the official UK regulator, has said that both of these vaccines have good safety profiles and offer a high level of protection, and we have full confidence in their expert judgement and processes.   
  
As with any medicine, vaccines are highly regulated products.  
  
There are checks at every stage in the development and manufacturing process, and continued monitoring once it has been authorised and is being used in the wider population.    
 

Will vaccines still be provided/can I still attend my appointment during the national lockdown?

Yes. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine, or any other vaccine, is an important medical appointment and so is within the rules wherever you live. Vaccinations will continue as normal in all areas through the national lockdown and beyond. If you have booked or are offered an appointment, please attend it. 

The place that you choose to have your vaccine will keep you safe from COVID-19 through a range of measures including cleaning and disinfecting and having social distancing in waiting areas. Please also wear a face covering to your appointment. You should also take the usual steps to minimise your risk as you travel to your appointment.
 

Where are the vaccination hubs located?

Our GP Practices are working together in local areas. These groups of Practices are called Primary Care Networks. To get through the numbers needed safely (and manage access and traffic) they have a hub delivering the vaccine for all the member practices.

North Cumbria has eight Primary Care Networks. They are:

  • Brampton and Longtown PCN – Brampton Community Centre
  • Carlisle Healthcare PCN – North Carlisle Medical Practice
  • Carlisle Network PCN – Morton Surgery
  • Cockermouth and Maryport PCN – Castlegate and Derwent Surgery (Cockermouth Community Hospital) and Maryport Rugby Club
  • Copeland PCN – Flatt Walks Surgery
  • Eden PCN – Penrith Hospital
  • Keswick and Solway PCN – Wigton Hospital
  • Workington PCN – Orchard House Surgery

If you are unable to get to the hub for your vaccine please talk to your Practice when you are called for your appointment to see if alternative arrangements can be made.

Please do not call your practice in relation to COVID vaccination appointments - you will be contacted when it is your turn.

How effective are the vaccines?  How long do they take to work?

The MHRA have said these vaccines are highly effective, but to get full protection people need to come back for the second dose – this is really important.  

To ensure as many people are vaccinated as quickly as possible, the Department for Health and Social Care now advise that the second dose of both the OxfordAstraZeneca and the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine should be scheduled up to 12 weeks apart.

Full protection kicks in around a week or two after that second dose, which is why it’s also important that when you do get invited, you act on that and get yourself booked in as soon as possible. Even those who have received a vaccine still need to follow social distancing and other guidance.  

What vaccines are currently available?

Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are now available. Both vaccines have been shown to be safe and offer high levels of protection, and have been given regulatory approval by the MHRA.

The Government has in principle secured access to seven different vaccine candidates, across four different vaccine types.

This includes:   
•    the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine  
•    the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
•    the Moderna vaccine, which is also being assessed by the MHRA. 
 

What happens if a person has the first jab but not the second?

Both vaccines have been authorised on the basis of two doses because the evidence from the clinical trials shows that this gives the maximum level of protection. 

To ensure as many people are vaccinated as quickly as possible, the Department for Health and Social Care now advise that the second dose of both the Oxford/AstraZeneca and the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine should be scheduled up to 12 weeks apart.

The evidence doesn’t show any risk to not having the second dose other than not being as protected as you otherwise would be. We would urge everyone to show up for both of their appointments for their own protection as well as to ensure we don’t waste vaccines or the time of NHS staff
 

Why are you postponing second doses?

The UK Chief Medical Officers have agreed a longer timeframe between first and second doses so that more people can get their first dose quickly, and because the evidence shows that one dose still offers a high level of protection. This decision will allow us to get the maximum benefit for the most people in the shortest possible time and will help save lives.

We recognise for some people a longer wait might be worrying, and clinicians have the discretion to vaccinate people sooner if they think this is needed. Getting both doses remains important so we would urge people to return for it at the right time.
 

Frequently Asked Questions around fertility and pregnancy and the covid vaccines

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)  and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) issue joint statement about Covid-19 vaccinations, fertility and pregnancy:

The RCOG and the RCM are aware that there has been some misinformation circulating about the impact of Covid-19 vaccines on fertility.

Dr Edward Morris, President at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “We want to reassure women that there is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 vaccines will affect fertility. Claims of any effect of Covid-19 vaccination on fertility are speculative and not supported by any data. 

“There is​ ​no biologically plausible mechanism by which current vaccines would cause any impact on women's fertility.  Evidence has not been presented that women who have been vaccinated have gone on to have fertility problems.

For women in the age group where they may be considering pregnancy, the vaccination is only currently being offered to two groups - health and social care workers (including carers for older adults in residential care homes) who are at higher risk of catching Covid-19 and those with ​serious medical conditions who have a greater risk of severe illness from Covid-19. Pregnant and breastfeeding women who are eligible will also be offered the vaccine.

RCM Chief Executive Gill Walton said:  “If you are eligible for and have been offered a Covid-19 vaccine, the decision whether to have the vaccination is your choice. You can either have the vaccine or wait for more information about the vaccine. Women who are eligible for the vaccination should consider discussing any concerns they have with their midwife or healthcare professional."

The RCOG and RCM would also like to emphasise to all women in this group (and all others) the importance of practicing social distancing, wearing a mask and regular handwashing.

We have produced an information sheet to help pregnant women who are eligible for and have been offered vaccination make an informed choice. Please also read our Q&As on COVID-19 vaccination, pregnancy and breastfeeding which can be found on our website - https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/#vaccines

Other useful information: