Who can get the new Covid-19 vaccine?
The NHS is currently offering the Covid-19 vaccine to people most at risk from coronavirus.
The vaccine is being offered in some hospitals and hundreds of local vaccination centres run by GPs. An NHS statement said: “The coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine is safe and effective. It gives you the best protection against coronavirus.”
Early doses of the vaccine are confirmed to be given to the following:
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some people aged 80 and over who already have a hospital appointment in the next few weeks
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people who live or work in care homes
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healthcare workers at high risk
NHS said the vaccine will be offered more widely, and at other locations, as soon as possible.
The order in which people will be offered the vaccine is based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) (read here).
The advice from NHS is “Wait to be contacted”
The NHS will let you know when it is your turn to have the vaccine.
It is important not to contact the NHS for a vaccination before then.
It is recommended to wait to have the Covid-19 vaccine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The Covid-19 vaccine is given as an injection into your upper arm – given as 2 doses, at least 21 days apart.
The Covid-19 vaccine approved for use in the UK was developed by Pfizer/BioNTech.
It has met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Any coronavirus vaccine that is approved must go through all the clinical trials and safety checks all other licensed medicines go through. The MHRA follows international standards of safety.
Other vaccines are being developed. They will only be available on the NHS once they have been thoroughly tested to make sure they are safe and effective.
So far, thousands of people have been given a Covid-19 vaccine and reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare. No long-term complications have been reported.
For more information visit nhs.uk/covidvaccine
Read What you need to know - Staying safe from Covid-19 over the festive period for people living with diabetes
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