7 minute read
Vaccinating the nation
As we go to print, the NHS has begun the biggest mass vaccination campaign in its history to protect people against Covid-19. So far, around 6.5 million people (and counting) in the UK have been vaccinated with one of the three vaccines which have now have been approved for use in the UK.
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The majority have been vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which was approved in early December. The second, developed by OxfordAstraZeneca is now also approved and being rolled out across the country with the Moderna vaccine following closely behind.
SO WHO IS GETTING THE VACCINE FIRST?
As expected, the most vulnerable in society are receiving their vaccines first as set out by the Government’s priority groups list. The “majority” of vulnerable people in the UK will be vaccinated throughout January and February. Categorised into 9 separate groups, they are thought to represent 90-99% of those at risk of dying from Covid-19. By the end of February, it is expected that around 25 million people in the UK will have received at least the first of their two doses of vaccine. This will mean that the majority of people in the first 4 groups will have been immunised. It is hoped that the rest of the priority groups will then be vaccinated, possibly by May. The next phase will see the focus shift to the rest of the population over the age of 18, mainly the under-50s, who are much less likely to be ill with Covid-19. These include teaching staff, people who work in transport and also the military who could be prioritised at that point too.
WILL EVERYONE BE OFFERED A VACCINE?
What if you’re not in the first nine groups? Will you be offered a vaccine? In short, yes. So far, the government has ordered seven different types of vaccine and expects to receive 367 million doses. That means if everyone needs two doses, that would almost certainly be enough for every adult living in the UK. It is the Government’s eventual aim to be able to offer a vaccine to everyone over the age of 18.
DO I HAVE TO HAVE THE VACCINE?
In the same way that all other vaccines are optional, this is no different and it won’t be compulsory to have it. However, there is a reason that little or no cases of polio, diphtheria, measles, mumps and other nasties make the headlines these days - and that is because the majority of people in the UK are immunised against them. Modern medicine is a wonderful thing, and we are so very lucky in this country to have some of the world’s most proficient and talented teams of dedicated, educated scientists leading the way to provide us with a safe and effective exit from what is, without doubt, the most troubling health crisis in our lifetime. We are also blessed to have one of the world’s most amazing FREE healthcare systems with our NHS. A service which is all too often taken for granted.
WHERE AND WHEN WILL MY VACCINE TAKE PLACE?
When it’s your turn, you will be invited by letter or by phone to book an appointment.
In West Berkshire, along with a selection of specialist vaccination centres, all GP surgeries will be offering Covid-19 vaccinations by the end of January, health officials have said. In Hampshire, the story is very much the same. For residents in care homes, vaccines will take place on site (as you’d expect).
Vaccinations will take place in hospital hubs for NHS staff, care staff and older patients. In West Berkshire, along with a selection of specialist vaccination centres, all GP surgeries will be offering Covid-19 vaccinations by the end of January, health officials have said. In Hampshire, the story is very Please be patient and wait to be contacted by your GP. Your turn will come. Local surgeries are reporting an overwhelming number of calls from patients wanting to know what they need to do. They are politely asking people not to contact them for vaccination appointments - they will contact you. Of course, it goes without saying that you should still contact your GP with any health concerns. The NHS 111 service is also available should you need advice.
CALCULATE YOUR TURN
To find out when you can expect to be offered yours, tech firm, Omni, have developed a vaccine queue calculator which will estimate for you how many people are ahead of you in the queue. The tool asks you to input your age, whether you have any underlying health conditions, if you are pregnant, a carer, or whether you were asked to shield during the first lockdown. Using the answers you supply, it predicts how long you might have to wait to get your vaccine. To find out when you are likely to expect yours, head over to:
www.omnicalculator.com/ health/vaccine-queue-uk
LISTENING TO DOUBTS, RUMOURS, AND KAREN ON FACEBOOK
Yes, there are the doubters, the antivaxers and the hoax believers. Sadly, there will also be those who will chose to believe all they read on social media. Just because [Karen/Steve], a friend of a friend on Facebook shared an uneducated inarticulate post which they’d the vaccine is unsafe or that it is just a way of secretly monitoring us for all eternity - doesn’t mean they are the experts. I’d rather bet on the real professionals and their years of experience and opinion.
I have been truly concerned at some of the comments on threads I’ve read on local social media group sites too. Suddenly, there appear to be so many armchair experts. It doesn’t matter that their day job bears no hallmark of a Master Biochemist or Professor of Virology - they know best, apparently. [Maybe they heard it from Karen or Steve too.]
Recently my teenage daughter was in the kitchen on a FaceTime call to one of her friends. They were talking about the current situation and the conversation rolled around to the vaccine. I was genuinely interested to hear her friend’s point of view so I asked whether she’d accept the vaccine if offered? I was blindsided by the response:
“It’s unsafe and is made of dead people, not a chance” she said. “Who told you that” I asked “Oh, I saw it on Insta’ was the reply. My husband, who happens to have a degree in Bioscience overheard the conversation, promptly picked his jaw up off the floor and carefully explained to her about the efficacy and safety of the vaccine and that it probably isn’t wise to listen to everything she reads from her ‘mates’. Clearly, the Government’s marketing machine will have their work cut out to convince everyone.
PEOPLE ARE DYING.
The truth of the matter is that people are dying at an alarming rate - every day. Others are losing livelihoods, businesses are closing - some for good, - and there’s also a whole generation who are being delivered a far from ideal method of education. Our teachers deserve a medal for their efforts right now, they really do. Also of mounting concern, is the disturbing numbers of people (of all ages) suffering with mental health issues…The list goes on.
This time last year in this region, we were unaware of the nightmare about to unfold and cases were relatively few. It’s a sad reality that in just 12 months, we all now know someone who has had the disease, is currently suffering or has a relative who they have tragically lost to the pandemic. The only way out of lockdown, it would seem, is to follow the sensible advice to control the spread by adhering to the rules and getting vaccinated at the earliest opportunity. We all need to play our part. Stay safe everyone.
Here’s the order of vaccination
Residents in care homes for older adults and their carers
80-year-olds and over and frontline health and social care workers
75-year-olds and over 70-year-olds and over and the clinically extremely vulnerable
70-year-olds and over and the clinically extremely vulnerable
65-year-olds and over
16- to 64-year-olds with serious underlying health conditions
60-year-olds and over
55-year-olds and over
50-year-olds and over
This is a fluid situation and things may be subject to change. Please contact your GP, 111, or 119 or visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus for official clarification.
Disclaimer: All information is as accurate as we are able to verify at the time of going to print.
