West Meon Surgery

COVID-19 vaccine appointment update

Everyone eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine who has not yet received the jab is urged to do so as soon as possible to protect themselves, loved ones and our communities against the virus.

Bookings are open to the following groups, in-line with national guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations an Immunisation (JCVI):

  • people aged 25 and over 
  • people who are at high risk from COVID-19 (clinically extremely vulnerable)
  • people who are at moderate risk from COVID-19 (clinically vulnerable)
  • people who live or work in care homes
  • health and social care workers
  • people who receive a Carer’s Allowance
  • everyone on the GP Learning Disabilities Register

The first dose of the vaccines offers good levels of protection, but to get maximum protection everyone will need a second dose. Therefore we strongly encourage everyone eligible to take up toe offer of a vaccine.

If you receive an invitation, whether for your first or second dose, please act on it as soon as possible.

What if I am unable to attend my appointment?

 Please keep your appointment if you have been offered one or are booked into a clinic wherever possible.  If you are unable to attend an appointment please cancel the appointment so that someone else can benefit from it.

What if I previously declined a COVID-19 vaccination and have changed my mind?

If you have previously declined a vaccination – the benefits outweigh any potential risks – if you now would like to be vaccinated please contact your practice, book an appointment via the National Booking Service or call 119 between 7am and 11pm, seven days a week.

Text invitations, which do not expire, appear as an alert from ‘NHSvaccine’ and include a web link to the NHS website to reserve an appointment.

Bringing forward second doses from 12 to eight weeks

 We continue to bring forward appointments for a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from 12 to eight weeks for anyone in the first nine priority groups who is yet to receive their second vaccination.

This is in-line with updated national guidance and means people at greater risk of getting seriously ill due to COVID-19 can get maximum protection sooner. People should continue to attend their second dose appointments and nobody needs to contact the NHS.

The NHS is contacting those who should bring their appointment forward. Eligible people aged under 50 who have not yet made an appointment to receive the vaccine are encouraged to do so as soon as possible, with their second dose at 12 weeks.

Effectiveness of vaccinations against the Delta variant

 Vaccine effectiveness against the COVID-19 variant first identified in India (now known as Delta) is similar after two doses when compared to the variant first identified in Kent (now known as Alpha), a recent study by Public Health England has shown.

The first dose of the vaccines offer good levels of protection, but to get maximum protection everyone will need a second dose. If you have been invited to receive a vaccine, please book your appointment as soon as possible.

Demonstrating COVID-19 vaccination status

Anyone living in England can now get their COVID-19 vaccination status in digital or paper format. Those who have had two doses of an approved vaccine can show this as proof of their vaccination status when travelling abroad to some countries or territories.

It is important to note that people are asked not to contact their GP surgery about their COVID-19 vaccination status. GPs cannot provide letters showing a person’s COVID-19 vaccination status.

How to access COVID-19 vaccination status

 · Through the free NHS App

· By calling 119 and requesting a letter. This must be at least five working days after people have completed their course of the vaccine (two doses). It is expected that the letter will take five working days to be delivered. It will be sent automatically to the address people have registered with their GP. The 119 call handler will not be able to see addresses to check the details and anyone who has recently moved house should ensure they have given their new address to their GP practice before calling 119. More information is available here.

Help Us Help You

 Unless they have been invited before, people are asked not to contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, they will be contacted by the NHS when it is the right time.

Everyone who has a booked appointment is asked to attend at exactly the time they are asked to, and make sure they return for their second dose to ensure they receive maximum protection against COVID-19.

Everyone, whether they had the vaccine or not, is asked to continue to follow all the guidance in place to control the virus and save lives.