COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine

Timing between 1^st and 2^nd doses of the vaccine

Although the majority of protection comes from the first dose, having your second dose is still extremely important too as it will improve and prolong your immunity – so please don’t skip your second dose. But, you will need to wait 56 days between the first and second dose.

As set out by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) a period of 56 days (8 weeks) from the first dose must have passed before a second dose can be given.  We are therefore unable to administer doses before this period of time has elapsed.

A longer period can take place between doses if it is not possible to attend at the 8 week timescale.

If you are aged 18 or over

Patients aged 18 or over will now start to receive letters from the NHS England National Booking Service advising that they are able to book COVID-19 vaccination appointments.

Patients in this age group are being asked to book through the national booking line for an appointment at a vaccination centre.

To arrange your vaccination appointment:

• You can use the online National Booking Service – http://www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination
• You can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.

Across BLMK there are vaccination centres that are available to book through the national booking system and there are vaccination centres run by local GP’s.

Further options for Bedford Borough residents

If this is your first vaccination, the routes are as follows:

• If you are aged 18 or over or clinically vulnerable, you can be vaccinated at the Bedford Heights site:
  • Book via the National Booking System – nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or call 119
  • If you are aged 40 or over, you can drop in to Bedford Heights without an appointment between 8.30am and 3.00pm each day.
• If you prefer, you can be vaccinated at King’s House or the Guru Nanak Gurdwara Temple. These vaccinations will need to be booked and a special hotline has been set up for this. You must book an appointment – go to bedford.gov.uk/vaccinations or call 01234 718077.
  • To be eligible you must be:
  • Aged 18 or over, or clinically vulnerable, or
  • Provide care for someone, or
  • We can offer grouped appointments for household members to be vaccinated at the same time.
• If you think you might be eligible but you’re not sure, please call to speak to us.

Second doses of the vaccination

Some people may be feeling concerned that they haven’t received an appointment for their second dose yet.  We have some helpful information on our website which should help: https://www.blmkccg.nhs.uk/covid-19/second-vaccination-doses/

A leaflet explaining more about the vaccine and answering some of your questions, is available to download here.

If you are Shielding

If you were informed by either your GP, the NHS or the Department of Health and Social Care to shield as you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you will now be contacted by your Practice to arrange an appointment for your vaccine at the GP led centre. This may take a couple of weeks as GPs work their way through their lists.

If you are aged 70 or over

If you are aged 70 or over and have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, you are now being asked to contact the NHS to arrange your vaccination.

Until now the NHS has asked people to wait until they are contacted to help ensure that those who are most vulnerable are protected first – and that remains the case for most people.

If you are over 70 there are a number of ways that you can arrange your vaccination appointment:

• You can use the online national booking service – http://www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination
• You can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.
• You can contact your GP practice.

Across BLMK there are large vaccination sites that are available to book through the national booking system and there are vaccination centres run by local GP’s.

Large vaccination sites in BLMK which are booked via http://www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by calling 119

If the large vaccination site closest to you is unavailable, this may be due to the current slots being fully booked. If you do not want to book an alternative centre, please continue to check regularly as new appointments will be released.

Vaccination centres in BLMK which are booked via http://www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by calling 119

GP led vaccination sites

If the vaccination centre closest to you is unavailable, this may be due to the current slots being fully booked. If you do not want to book an alternative centre, please continue to check regularly as new appointments will be released.

Appointments at these sites are accessed by contacting your GP practice.

An easy-read vaccination guide is available to download here.

A vaccine guide for A guide for women who might get pregnant, who are pregnant or are breastfeeding their baby, is available here.

An easy-read guide on what to expect after your vaccination, is available to download here.

An easy-read vaccination consent form for adults ia available to download here.

A leaflet explaining why you may have to wait for the coronavirus vaccine is available to download here.

A poster showing the priority list for the coronavirus vaccine is available to download here.