Coronavirus
Vaccine News (added to page Monday 11th January 2021.
Following extensive trials, 2 safe and effective vaccines for COVID-19 have been approved by regulators and are now being made available to us and are supplied to us in batches each week.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has said that both the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine ‘give very high protection against severe disease’ and both have good safety records. Both vaccines are being used across the county. The NHS continues to prioritise those that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the government has decided will benefit the most – specifically the over-80s, care home residents and all frontline health and care staff.
We are inviting people for vaccination in order of the priorities set out by the JCVI, starting with over 80s. Please do not contact us about the COVID-19 vaccination unless we have already contacted you.
When we do contact you, please attend your booked appointments with us.
Everyone at the practice is working extremely hard to make sure people receive their COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible. Please be patient with us during this time - we are working hard to vaccinate as quickly as possible using the supplies that we receive.
On days where GPs, nurses and other staff are supporting the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, some routine appointments may be rescheduled to an alternative day. Urgent GP appointments will still be available, and patients will be seen if it is deemed appropriate.
More COVID-19 vaccination clinics are being made available all the time – everyone who is eligible according to national guidance will receive the vaccine in due course.
Hands, Face, Space remains key – even once people have been vaccinated.
You can get more information about the COVID-19 Vaccination online via the NHS website.
COVID VACCINATION
Please DO NOT contact the surgery, more information will be available in due course.
Click here to read the latest Covid message to patients from the Partners.
For more information on what to expect after your vaccine please follow this link.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-what-to-expect-after-vaccination/what-to-expect-after-your-covid-19-vaccination
COVID19 and who needs to be shielded?
NHS England have recently sent out letters to those who are most vulnerable to COVID19 suggesting that they “shield“ themselves by staying at home in isolation for 12 weeks. If you haven’t received a letter but would like to check if you are eligible please follow the links below.
The UK Government website clearly defines which patients are in the shielded group:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19
However, it doesn’t go into enough detail with regard to immunosuppressant medications. There is more guidance for patients on speciality specific websites. Some of which are listed below.
Rheumatology:
https://www.rheumatology.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/COVID19_risk_scoring_guide.pdf?ver=2020-03-23-165634-597
Dermatology:
http://www.bad.org.uk/shared/get-file.ashx?itemtype=document&id=6648
Gastroenterology:
https://www.bsg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/IBD-risk-grid-v3-2020-03-30.pdf
Patients not meeting shielding criteria often fall into the moderate risk category. Advice for this group is to follow strict social distancing measures. The decision to attend your place of work has to be made yourself, after discussion with your employer. Your GP is unable to provide advice regarding this.
Unfortunately we are unable to provide letters of support outlining medical conditions during the COVID19 pandemic.
Thank you for your cooperation during this extremely busy time.