COVID-19 Vaccination Info

Updated News from CCG Sunderland

The NHS vaccination programme continues to make strong progress.

Click on this ‘link‘ to view the full information on the News section of CCG Sunderland

Thanks to the thousands of people involved, the NHS has now offered vaccines to everyone aged 30 and over as well as millions of health and social care workers, unpaid carers and people at higher clinical risk.

Over 53 million vaccines have been delivered in total. We are still on course to offer all adults with a first dose by the end of July.

PHE Analysis shows that individuals who receive a single dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine have approximately 80 per cent lower risk of death from COVID-19 compared with unvaccinated individuals. It also shows protection against death from the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rises from approximately 80 percent after one dose to 97 per cent after two doses.

In line with government and JCVI guidance, the NHS is contacting people in the highest priority groups, to bring forward when they receive their second dose of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccination, if they haven’t already had it. This is so people at greater risk of getting seriously ill due to coronavirus can get maximum protection sooner.

The NHS has been offering the second dose of vaccine up to 12 weeks after the first dose, which circulating in some parts of the country, we must ensure people are at greatest risk can get their second dose earlier – at around 8 weeks after their first – or as soon as possible if they haven’t already had it.

The NHS will contact people directly so please wait to be contacted if you think you are in this group.

This was a huge logistical challenge that required months of planning but also great agility, accuracy and speed. This would be a massive achievement in normal times, but to do so at a time when the NHS has been dealing with the winter wave of infections which saw more than 100,000 patients admitted with COVID-19 in January alone is nothing short of remarkable.

You can find out how to get your vaccine at nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by phoning 119. If you are eligible but are not able to book through the national booking service, you can speak to your GP.

Invites are now being sent to 30 and 31 year olds as we work our way down the age groups as quickly as supplies allow.

If you receive one, please do act on it as soon as possible so that you can join the millions of others who are helping to protect themselves and others.

If you already have an appointment over the coming weeks, whether for your first or second dose, this remains in place and it’s really important that you attend it as planned.

The first dose of both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine offer good levels of protection, but to get maximum protection everyone will need a second dose.

Millions of people are now benefiting from protection from the virus and this has contributed to dramatic falls in infections, hospitalisations and deaths.

But NHS staff are still having to work hard to deliver the largest vaccination drive in our history, at the same time as providing care for everyone who needs it.

So we need the public to continue to play their part too:

• unless you have been invited before, please don’t contact the NHS to book a vaccine, we will contact you when it is the right time
• please attend your booked appointments at exactly the time you’re asked to, and make sure you come back for your second dose
• and whether you have had your vaccine or not, please continue to follow all the guidance in place to control the virus and save lives