Latest information
The latest information on vaccination locations and sites and questions and answers about the programme can be found on the NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group website
Introduction
The vaccine is designed to prevent serious illness and death from Covid-19. Even if you’ve had the vaccine, please remember that you can still catch it and might still be able to pass it on.
The vaccination is available from a number of locations in the county, to enable easier access for as many people as possible. Locations include large county sites, community sites, hospital hubs, some GP surgeries and using teams of mobile vaccinators for those who cannot leave their homes.
The vaccine is free to those eligible and that we would never ask you for payment or for you to give your card details to us.
Please do not contact us or visit any of our sites to ask about your vaccine, someone will contact you.
When we do contact you, please attend your booked appointments.
How you can support the NHS
You have an important part to play to help the NHS’s largest vaccination programme in history:
- please do not contact the NHS to seek a vaccine, the NHS will contact you
- when the NHS do contact you, please attend your booked appointments
- and please follow the guidance – Living safely with respiratory infections, including COVID-19
You’ll need to be registered with a GP surgery in England (to get a vaccine).
Booster vaccinations
Third Booster dose
Millions of vulnerable people are now being offered a Covid-19 booster vaccine. The programme will be rolled out to the same priority groups as previously. This means care home residents, health and social care workers, people aged over 50, those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of severe Covid-19, adult carers, and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals will be prioritised.
The NHS will contact people as soon as possible to discuss their needs and arrange an appointment for a third dose where clinically appropriate.
This flu vaccination and Covid-19 boosters will be critical to protecting lives, livelihoods and the NHS and ensure the protection vaccines provide for those most at risk of severe illness from Covid-19 will be maintained over the winter months. It’s critical to maximise uptake of both vaccines amongst eligible groups. The national campaign will focus on the following eligible groups.
Covid-19
- Care home residents and staff
- Frontline health and social care workers
- People who are clinically extremely vulnerable
- Adults 16 to 65 in at risk groups
- 50 years and over
Flu
- 65 years and over
- People with long term health conditions
- Pregnant women
- Parents of 2 to 16 year olds
- 50 to 64 year olds
- Frontline health and social care workers
There will be flexibility in the programme, allowing all those eligible to receive their booster from 6 months after their second doses. This approach will allow more vulnerable people to be given their boosters quicker. Data published by ONS shows people who have not been vaccinated account for around 99% of all deaths involving Covid-19 in England in the first half of this year.
NHS – Find out who can get a booster dose and how
COVID-19 vaccination: spring booster resources
On the 16 March the UK Health Security Agency has updated the guidance to the spring COVID-19 booster offer for those aged 75 years and older residents in care homes. People aged 75 years and older, residents in care homes for older people, and those aged 12 years and over with a weakened immune system will be offered a spring booster of the COVID-19 vaccine. Appointments will be available through the national vaccination booking service shortly. There is leaflet available to download, which has been translated and copies are also available to order for free.
COVID-19 vaccination spring booster guidance – Information on the spring booster dose for eligible individuals.
Health publications order form
National vaccination booking service
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, fertility and women's health vaccination information
Here are some videos that cover common questions about the the COVID-19 vaccine on:
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding, fertility, and women’s health
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Fertility and women’s health
And a video where doctors share their experience of treating pregnant women with Covid-19.
COVID-19 vaccination: women of childbearing age, currently pregnant or breastfeeding
COVID-19 vaccination for 5 to 11 year-olds
Latest NHS News – Vaccines are now available for 5 to 11 year olds
COVID-19 vaccination guides for parents of children aged 5 to 11
Guides for parents of children aged 5 to 11 years on COVID-19 vaccination can be found on GOV.UK.
All parents should receive either guide 1 or guide 3 below with their invitation, and all parents should be given guide 2 with the record card. They are essential elements of the consent and after care process.
1. A guide for parents of children aged 5 to 11 years
2.What to expect after your child’s COVID-19 vaccination
3.A guide for parents of children aged 5 to 11 at high risk
Information on how to get these leaflets in other languages and formats can also be found on GOV.UK.
You can read more on the COVID-19 vaccination programme here
COVID-19 vaccination for 12 to 15 year olds
The UK’s Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) all agree that while Covid-19 is typically mild or asymptomatic in most young people, it can be very unpleasant for some and 1 dose of the vaccine will provide good protection against severe illness and hospitalisation.
Vaccinating 12 to 15 year-olds should also help to reduce the need for young people to have time-off school and reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19 within schools.
The Covid-19 secondary schools vaccine programme should provide protection to young people and reduce the disruption to face to face education. This will help to keep young people emotionally well and happier.
Healthy school-aged children aged 12 to 15 will primarily receive one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination in their school, with alternative provision for those who are home schooled, in secure services or specialist mental health settings.
Somerset schools will have three primary roles which will be familiar to them from other vaccination programmes:
- to provide information to their School Age Immunisation Nursing Team (SAINT) on which children on their roll are eligible for the vaccine
- to share the information leaflet, consent form and invitation letter supplied by the SAINT team with parents and children
- to provide the space within school, and the time away from the timetable, to enable vaccinations to take place
Invitations for the jabs are being sent out now and parental, guardian or carer consent will be sought by vaccination healthcare staff prior to vaccination. This is a well-established process used for all school vaccination programmes.
Vaccine Facts for Young People and Parents
We know that some schools have experienced anti-vaccination protests linked to this programme.
Making facts and information about the vaccination easily available to parents and children will help families reach an informed decision about whether to take up the invitation. The vaccine is not mandatory and no one should feel pressured or stigmatised following their decision.
These 2 videos from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) help explain how we know the vaccine is safe in more detail:
Actor Jason Forbes tackles some of the common myths about the vaccine here
Vaccination resources and guidance
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is leading a campaign to help tackle the spread of false information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Sharing false information about the COVID-19 vaccine can be dangerous:
- Check information about the COVID-19 vaccine before sharing it online. The NHS is the best source of information.
- Inaccurate claims can circulate quickly — you can stop the spread of misinformation by checking the accuracy of information before passing it on.
- Check before you share by asking yourself three questions before passing on information online.
- Look closely – does the information seem trustworthy?
- Check – is it coming from an expert?
- Still unsure if it’s true? Don’t share it.
Hashtags for this campaign are:
- #COVIDVaccine
- #FalseInformation
- #MisInformation
Check before you share – COVID-19 Misinformation Toolkit
GOV.UK
COVID-19 vaccination: resources for schools and parents – Consent forms, leaflets and guidance for parents and schools.
COVID-19 vaccination: easy-read resources for children and young people – Easy-read guides providing information on coronavirus (COVID-19) and vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccination: checklist for parents of children aged 12 to 15 years
COVID-19 vaccination: resources for children and young people aged 12 to 17 years – Information for eligible children and young people aged 12 to 17 years on COVID-19 vaccination.
Help with getting to vaccination appointments
If you are not able to drive yourself, but you have a family member or friend who might be able to support you – it’s always worth having that conversation now.
While many older and more vulnerable people will be able to attend a location close to their home, some will be relying on public transport.
We are working with Community Transport and Slinky Demand Responsive Services across Somerset to allow free travel for bus pass holders when attending vaccination appointments. You can find information and contact details for Community Transport Services on Travel Somerset
More information
NHS
Coronavirus vaccination – Book your COVID-19 vaccination, read about the vaccine and find out about getting your vaccination status for travelling abroad.
Find out who can get a booster dose and how
Booster Dose Resources – A guide to booster vaccination for individuals aged 18 years and over.
After vaccination information – This short NHS Public Health England video explains that although the vaccines show extremely good protection, no vaccine is 100% effective and that it is possible to still get COVID-19 infection or pass it on despite having two doses of vaccine. It is still not yet known whether the vaccine can stop the transmission of the virus to others.
GOV.UK
COVID-19 vaccination programme – Documents relating to the new coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme.
COVID-19 vaccination: booking an appointment letter – NHS letter inviting eligible adults to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.
COVID-19 vaccination: guide for adults – Information for eligible adults on COVID-19 vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccination: for people with a weakened immune system – Information on the third dose for people with a weakened immune system.
COVID-19 vaccination: guide for employers – Information for employers about the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
COVID-19 vaccination: easy-read leaflets – Easy-read guides providing information on coronavirus (COVID-19) and vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccination: British Sign Language resources – British Sign Language (BSL) videos on COVID-19 vaccination
COVID-19 vaccination: what to expect after vaccination – Information for people who have had their first COVID-19 vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccination: worried about having your second dose of AstraZeneca? – Leaflet for people eligible for COVID-19 vaccination who have had their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine and have concerns about having the second dose.
COVID-19 vaccination and rare side effects – Guidance relating to blood clotting, myocarditis and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) after COVID-19 vaccination.
What your NHS COVID Pass letter tells you (easy read) – Easy-read version of the non-personal information in your NHS COVID Pass letter about your COVID-19 status.
If you cannot get an NHS COVID Pass letter (easy read) – Easy read version of the non-personal information sent to you if you cannot get an NHS COVID Pass letter about your COVID-19 status.
Using your NHS COVID Pass for travel abroad and at venues and settings in England – How to use the NHS COVID Pass to demonstrate your coronavirus (COVID-19) status when travelling abroad and domestically at venues and settings in England.
COVID-19 Pass fraud – Raising awareness about COVID Pass fraud and how to get your free NHS COVID Pass.
COVID-19 Vaccination Fraud – Please be aware, criminals are using the COVID-19 vaccine as a way to target the public by tricking them to hand over cash or financial details.
COVID-19 vaccination: booster dose resources – Information on the booster dose for eligible individuals.
Other information
Latest local vaccination news
You can find the latest local vaccination news on the following pages:
- COVID-19 Vaccinations in Somerset – NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group
- Somerset County Council Newsroom
- Somerset County Council latest Coronavirus updates
Vaccination information in other languages
NHS England – Vaccination information in other languages
Public Health England – Translations
Diversity Voice has lots of translated COVID-19 resources available.
COVID-19 vaccination status: what your pass letter tells you – Translated versions of the non-personal information in the letter confirming that someone has had the full course of the COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccination status: if you cannot get a pass letter – Translated versions of the non-personal information sent to you if you cannot get a post-vaccination confirmation letter about your COVID-19 vaccination status.
Ukrainian – Translated health information for patients
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Arabic
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Bengali
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Bulgarian
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Simplified Chinese
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Czech
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – French
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Hungarian
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Italian
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Lithuanian
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Polish
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Portuguese
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Romanian
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Slovak
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Spanish
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Tagalog
COVID-19 Vaccination Myths – Tetum
Vaccination Booster information in other languages
You can find this Vaccination booster jab information in different languages below.
Arabic
Booster jab information
Bengali – Bangla
Booster jab information
Bulgarian
Booster jab information
Italian
Booster jab information
Latvian
Booster jab information
Lithuanian
Booster jab information
Polish
Booster jab information
Portuguese
Booster jab information
Romanian
Booster jab information
Russian
Booster jab information
Spanish
Booster jab information