Covid-19 vaccination

Some children aged 12 to 15-years-old with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe Covid-19 may have already received a Covid-19 vaccination. The range of underlying health conditions that apply has recently been expanded. They can get vaccinated against Covid-19 if either:

• they live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
• they have a condition that means they're at high risk from Covid-19

Conditions that mean your child may be at high risk are:

• a severe problem with the brain or nerves, including cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy and muscular dystrophy
• Down's syndrome
• severe or multiple learning disabilities (or they're on the learning disability register)
• a condition that means they're more likely to get infections (such as some genetic conditions or types of cancer)
• respiratory disease, Including those with poorly controlled asthma and cystic fibrosis
• heart conditions including congenital heart disease
• chronic kidney, liver or some digestive conditions
• type 1 diabetes mellitus
• Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment, including:
• those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, solid organ transplant recipients, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients
• genetic disorders affecting the immune system
• those with blood cancer, including leukaemia and lymphoma
• those receiving immunosuppressive or biological therapy, high or moderate dose corticosteroids,
• those with auto-immune diseases who may require long term immunosuppressive treatments
• diseases of the spleen including sickle cell disease
• serious genetic abnormalities that affect several of the body’s organs

If your child is eligible for vaccination due to one or more of these conditions, you'll be contacted by a local NHS service to arrange their appointments.

Find out more about COVID-19 vaccination for children and young people on GOV.UK

All children aged between 12 and 15 years will be offered the chance to have the coronavirus vaccine at their school. The vaccine will be administered by a member of Virgin Care's Immunisation Service team, and both child and parent consent will be required before vaccination can take place.

Alternatively, parents of 12 to 15-year-olds can use the National Booking Service to arrange a Covid-19 vaccination for their child.

Young people aged 16 and 17 years can book their appointment via the National Booking Service and also can attend some walk-in clinics (see walk-in FAQ for more information)

Children who are absent from school on the day of a planned vaccination session will have the opportunity to receive the vaccine from one of a number of community-based drop-in clinics that are currently being planned.

Alternatively, parents of 12 to 15-year-olds can use the National Booking Service to arrange a Covid-19 vaccination for their child.

12 to 15-year-old home-schooled children are included in the vaccine rollout.

Virgin Care's immunisation service team will contact home-school providers in due course.

Alternatively, parents of 12 to 15-year-olds can use the National Booking Service to arrange a Covid-19 vaccination for their child.

12 to 15-year-old children in private education will be offered the chance to have the coronavirus vaccine at their school. The vaccine will be administered by a member of Virgin Care's Immunisation Service team, and both child and parent consent will be required before vaccination can take place.

Alternatively, parents of 12 to 15-year-olds can use the National Booking Service to arrange a Covid-19 vaccination for their child.

Children aged 12 to 17-years-old who test positive for Covid-19 must wait 12 weeks before they get vaccinated.

Vaccination should still proceed from four weeks after a confirmed Covid infection for higher risk 12-17 year olds - those with underlying conditions, unpaid carers, household contacts of immunosuppressed, or health and social care workers.

More information is available by clicking here. 

 1 dose is being offered to children aged 12 to 15 to give them the best protection against Covid-19. This includes children who turn 12 on the date of vaccination.

Some children are being offered 2 doses of a vaccine if either:

• they live with someone who is more likely to get infections
• they have a condition that means they're at high risk from Covid-19

Those aged 12 to 15 who are eligible for 2 doses of the vaccine will be contacted by a local NHS service to arrange their appointments, and will be reminded to have your 2nd dose around 8 weeks after your 1st dose.

JCVI recommended on 15 November that those aged 16 and 17 should become eligible for a second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine from 12 weeks after their first dose. The NHS will contact people in this age group directly to let them know when it is their turn to get their second dose.

It has been announced that booster vaccines are to be made available for care home residents, health and social care workers, people aged over 50, those aged 16 to 49-years-old with underlying health conditions, adult carers, and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.

People eligible for a booster vaccination will be contacted directly by the NHS approximately six months (182 days) after their last Covid-19 vaccine was given, with those who received their second dose early at four weeks being called first.

People who – for whatever reason – do not receive an invitation after this period should not worry, nor feel the need to contact their GP practice or local vaccination centre.

The online National Booking Service will allow people without an invitation to book a booster vaccine once 152 days have passed since their last vaccination. You'll be offered appointment dates from 182 days (6 months) after the date of your 2nd dose.

Any person still unable to book after this point should contact the National Booking Service by calling 119.

People are reassured that all those who are eligible for a booster vaccine will be contacted when it is their turn to come forward.

Health and care staff who are eligible to have a Covid-19 booster vaccine are being encouraged to use the National Booking Service to arrange their top-up appointment.

Booster vaccine appointments are available to book at a number of locations across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, including the large sites at Bath Racecourse, the Steam Museum in Swindon and Salisbury City Hall, as well as at smaller venues, such as GP practices and community pharmacies.

The larger sites have the best appointment availability, but some may not see these sites in their search results when using the National Booking Service and, in this case, people should use the postcode of their desired venue when booking an appointment.

Some vaccination centres do have capacity to offer walk-in appointments, and details of these sites can be found by clicking here.

People who arrive without a booking may face a longer-than-normal wait for their vaccination, as teams prioritise those with confirmed appointments.   

For more information about the local rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, including a detailed list of frequently asked questions, visit www.bswccg.nhs.uk.

The latest advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation states that it is safe for people to have the flu vaccine alongside the vaccine for Covid-19.

However, only a small number of people are expected to have both vaccines at the same time, with most encouraged to book an appointment for each vaccine as soon as they are contacted to do so. 

The JCVI has advised that everyone aged 12 and over, who was severely immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second Covid-19 vaccine doses, is offered a third vaccination dose.

This is different to a booster vaccination because there is evidence that some individuals who are immunosuppressed due to underlying health conditions or medical treatment may not mount a full immune response to their first two COVID-19 vaccinations. These patients are therefore being offered a third dose, ideally 8 weeks after their second dose and at a time of minumum immuosuppression, if possible. They will also be eligible for a booster 6 months later as well, so in effect will be given 4 doses of the vaccine.

Patients who believe they are eligible for a third dose are being asked to identify themselves to their GP practice, who can then make arrangements for the vaccination appointment.

The UK is following The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and NHS England guidance of a minimum six-month gap from the second vaccination, before the booster dose is given.

This national guidance prohibits the CCG from accepting requests for an earlier dose, so we will not accept requests for exceptions to this rule. Walk-in centres will also only vaccinate people who are at the six-month marker or more.

No. You do not need to book an appointment for a walk-in clinic, you can just turn up during the opening times. Please make sure you are aware of which vaccines are being offered at the clinic before you arrive, by visiting the national walk-in website.

People who attend a walk-in clinic for their first dose will have their vaccination record updated online and will then be able to book in their second dose appointment using the national booking system. Second jabs are also available at the walk-ins, if it has been at least eight weeks since your first dose.

Please remember to bring a face mask with you, unless you’re exempt, and have something to eat and drink before you leave home.

People who arrive without a booking may face a longer-than-normal wait for their vaccination, as teams prioritise those with confirmed appointments.  

Yes, City Hall in Salisbury and Bath Racecourse are offering first dose vaccinations to 16 and 17 year-olds. For opening times, visit the 'Find my nearest walk-in vaccination' online service.

People who arrive without a booking may face a longer-than-normal wait for their vaccination, as teams prioritise those with confirmed appointments.  

You do not need to be registered with a GP to attend a walk-in clinic.

However, you do need to be registered with a GP to book, amend or cancel any appointments through the National Booking System, so please register with your local GP if possible.

The UK is following The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and NHS England guidance of a minimum eight-week gap between doses, unless there is a clinical exemption (such as cancer treatments or pregnancy). This guidance prohibits the CCG from accepting requests for an earlier dose outside of the clinical exemptions, so we will not accept requests for exceptions to this rule. Walk-in centres will also only vaccinate people who are at the eight-week or more marker.

Currently, vaccine centres in our region are offering the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation  has issued guidance after reports of extremely rare adverse events (blood clots and low platelet count) associated with the first dose of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine in younger people.

It therefore recommends that people aged up to 39 years are offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine where possible, but states that individuals may wish to make an informed decision to take up the offer of an AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine if it means receiving a vaccination sooner.

The National Booking Service will offer appointments for a vaccine that is appropriate for your age. You cannot choose which vaccine you have.

Current evidence strongly indicates that the single greatest risk of mortality from Covid-19 is increasing age and that the risk increases exponentially with age.

Invitations to book a vaccination are being sent out according to priority groups set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. These are age-based and can be found on the gov.uk website.

A person’s age and level of clinical vulnerability will determine their invitation date for a vaccine, not their student status.

Updated: 27 May 2021.

Current guidance does not indicate that Covid-19 vaccination is compulsory, in order to be admitted to a university in England.

When you are invited to book your vaccination, you will do so through the National Booking Service. The system will prompt you to book both your first and second doses at the same time. However, you do not need to book them in the same area. You can book both doses wherever is going to be the most accessible to you, at the time of the appointment.

For example, you could book your first dose in Bath, and your second dose at your local vaccination centre in your hometown.

If your plans change, you can amend your vaccination booking through the National Booking Service at any time. Please note that if you need to change either dose appointment, you need to cancel that appointment first.

When you are invited to book your vaccination, you will do so through the National Booking Service. The system will prompt you to book both your first and second doses at the same time. However, you do not need to book them in the same area. You can book both doses wherever is going to be the most accessible to you, at the time of the appointment.

For example, you could book your first dose at your local vaccination centre in your hometown, and your second dose in Bath.

If your plans change, you can amend your vaccination booking through the National Booking Service at any time. Please note that if you need to change either dose appointment, you need to cancel that appointment first.

International students who are registered with a GP in the UK will be invited for a Covid-19 vaccination in the same way as everyone else.

This includes older international students or those with underlying medical conditions who fall into other priority categories.

Students not currently registered with a GP in the UK who would like to receive a vaccine here must register with their nearest GP practice as a temporary resident as soon as possible. A temporary registration will last for approximately three months. After this time, a new temporary registration may be required.

International students can book their vaccination appointments via the National Booking Service with their NHS number if they have previously received NHS treatment. You can also find an NHS number using this tool.

You will not be able to arrange a second dose for less than 8 weeks after your first. This is to ensure you receive maximum protection against coronavirus. Scheduled travel abroad is not considered to be an acceptable reason to seek your second dose before 8 weeks after your first.

Nobody in England has to pay for the COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccination is free of charge and does not count as the kind of care that requires payment. International students or anyone seeing requests for payment should report this activity to their university institution and to Action Fraud. More information on COVID-19 vaccine scams is on the Action Fraud website here.

If a person has received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine overseas that is also available in the UK, they should receive the same vaccine for their second dose. If the vaccine they received for their first dose is not available in the UK, the most similar alternative should be offered as per the advice here (see sections on vaccine interchangeability guidance). The student should contact a GP to ensure they receive an appropriate vaccine for their second dose

People in England who have been fully vaccinated (two doses of any approved vaccine) against Covid-19 can demonstrate their vaccination status using the NHS App, which you can download from app stores 

It may take more than a week for your identity to be checked and verified so you can use this service.

If you cannot access this online service, and you have had both vaccine doses, you can request a paper letter from the NHS by calling 119. Only call 119 if you are due to travel abroad in the near future and had your second dose more than five working days ago. It may take seven working days for the letter to arrive.

When you're planning your travel, check the latest information on demonstrating your Covid-19 status when travelling abroad on the gov.uk website.

Make sure there is time to get proof of your vaccination status before you leave.

Currently, vaccine centres in our region are offering the Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.

The National Booking Service will offer appointments for a vaccine that is appropriate for your age.

The infographic below shows the latest Covid-19 vaccination uptake.

Please contact the National Booking Service to make an appointment - not your GP practice. 

All local sites are now available through the NBS online or by calling 119 and it's the best way to get an appointment for both your first and second doses if you don’t have an appointment already. 

Please don't hesitate, when it's your turn to be vaccinated please do so as soon as possible.  The NHS appreciates that at times the system can be busy but be assured we will make sure everyone is offered the opportunity to be immunised so please keep trying.  New clinics are being set up all the time at various locations including some community pharmacies so your patience is appreciated.  

As the vaccination programme moves down through different age groups as well as continues to provide second doses, more people are becoming eligible to book an appointment. If you have received an invitation to book an appointment, but are struggling to find a slot, we ask that you are patient. Appointments are becoming available all the time, as vaccine supply allows. 

The National Vaccine Booking System lists who is currently eligible to book and gives information about what you'll need to do when you book, including making sure you:

• have 2 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine at 2 separate appointments
• book both appointments at the same time
• get the 2nd dose 8 weeks after getting your 1st dose
• book a booster dose if you're eligible (can only be given 182 days after 2nd dose)

Please note that we are unable to book or change appointments made using the National Booking System.

All vaccines approved for use are clinically effective and appointments will be offered according to vaccine supply and clinical eligibility. We are unable to advise which vaccine is being given on any particular day in any of the vaccine clinics and you are unable to choose in advance which vaccine you will be offered at your first appointment.

When you book your second appointment, the national booking site will identify from your records which vaccine you had for your first appointment, and will only offer appointments for the same vaccine in line with national guidance.

If you are experiencing problems with the National Booking System website e.g. cancelled appointments; lack of booking reference number; error codes; not being recognised; please call 119 in all instances.

The CCG is not the responsible organisation for this service and cannot answer queries relating to it.

People in England who have been fully vaccinated (two doses of any approved vaccine) against Covid-19 can demonstrate their vaccination status for international travel using:

• the NHS App, which you can download from app stores 

It may take more than a week for your identity to be checked and verified so you can use this service.

If you cannot access this online service, and you have had both vaccine doses, you can request a paper letter from the NHS by calling 119. Only call 119 if you are due to travel abroad in the near future and had your second dose more than five working days ago. It may take seven working days for the letter to arrive.

When you're planning your travel, check the latest information on demonstrating your Covid-19 status when travelling abroad on the gov.uk website.

Make sure there is time to get proof of your vaccination status before you leave.

The Vaccine Data Resolution Service (VDRS) aims to resolve missing or incorrect vaccination records for people vaccinated in England who have a current NHS number and are registered with a GP practice in England.

If you believe there is  missing or incorrect COVID-19 vaccination data on your record, please call 119 and ask the call agent to make a referral to the VDRS team on your behalf. The VDRS team will then contact you within 5 working days.

Please note: 119 and VDRS call agents will not provide clinical advice and cannot assist with queries related to vaccinations received overseas. If the query relates to personal information that is incorrect on your patient record (e.g. name, address), please contact your GP practice to update this

Information about the vaccine is available online from www.nhs.uk and also www.gov.uk.

Our FAQs are updated regularly and contain responses to everything we have had enquiries about from members of the public. Please check back regularly. 

If you had your first dose vaccine in a country other than England (including other countries in the UK) and now need to book your second dose here, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) to arrange this directly as the National Booking System will not recognise that you have already received your first dose.

Our PALS team will be able to make a local booking arrangement with one of our vaccine centres for you.

Contact PALS by email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone on 0300 561 0250.

If you need to change your second dose appointment, you can do this via the National Booking System or by calling 119.

Your GP practice has guidance about what sort of documentation can be used to verify that you have received an approved vaccine dose abroad. They can then arrange for this to be added to your medical records.

However, the vaccine dose you received abroad will not show on the “certification section” of the NHS App as the app can currently only show vaccines received in the UK.

Yes, however each person who would like to receive a vaccine must register with their nearest GP practice as a temporary resident as soon as possible.

A temporary registration will last for approximately three months. After this time, a new temporary registration may be required. 

Catching Covid-19 can be serious at any age and can lead to long term health complications including extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, problems with memory and sleep and ear problems. You can have Covid-19 without any symptoms and still pass it on to family and friends including those who may be at greater risk of being seriously ill from Covid-19.

Government research suggests that just one dose of a coronavirus vaccine is enough to reduce the risk of developing serious Covid-related illness by 80 per cent. Furthermore, even one dose of a coronavirus vaccine reduces the risk of Covid-19 transmission to members of your household by up to 49 per cent compared with having no doses.

This is why we strongly urge you to consider having the vaccine to protect yourself and others and help stop the spread of Covid-19.

Social distancing measures will remain in place at health and care settings across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire after Monday 19 July. This means that you will continue to be asked to wear a face covering, as well as to observe the one-metre-plus rule when interacting with others indoors - including at Covid-19 vaccination clinics.

Everyone is now able to move their second vaccine dose forward to 8 weeks after the first. Please do this via the National Booking System or by calling 119.

The national booking site will identify from your records which Covid-19 vaccine you had for your first appointment, and will only offer appointments for the same vaccine in line with national guidance.

If you have tested positive for Covid-19 following a PCR test, you must wait 28 days before having either your first or second dose of the vaccine.

If you already have an appointment booked for either dose within 28 days of testing positive, please use the National Booking System to re-arrange the appointment to leave a longer gap. You can also re-arrange by calling 119.

You'll need to book a 2nd dose for 8 weeks after your 1st dose. This allows for maximum protection against coronavirus.

• If you book online via the National Booking System, you'll be asked to book appointments for both doses
• If you have your 1st dose at a walk-in vaccination site, you can book your 2nd Covid-19 vaccination appointment online
• You'll need to wait 24 hours after your 1st dose before you can book
• If you have your 1st dose through your GP surgery, you'll be contacted when it's time to book your 2nd dose

Updated: 8 April

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has issued guidance after reports of extremely rare adverse events (blood clots and low platelet count) associated with the first dose of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine.

The Committee has weighed the balance of benefits and risks and advises that prompt vaccination with AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine far outweighs the risks of adverse events for people aged 30 years and over and those with underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk of severe Covid-19 disease.

It recommends that people aged under 30 years are offered an alternative vaccine where possible, but states that individuals may wish to make an informed decision to take up the offer of an AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine to receive earlier protection.

The JCVI recommends that everyone who has had a first dose of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine should still be offered and have a second dose, irrespective of their age.

For more information about blood clotting and the Covid-19 vaccination, Public Health England have produced a patient leaflet. 

The Chief Executive of the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency – the agency that is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work and are acceptably safe – has said that the available data shows the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine produces a strong immune response in the over-65s and that it is safe.

The latest government research (2 March 2021) suggests that just one dose of either coronavirus vaccine is enough to reduce the risk of serious Covid-related illness by 80 per cent in people aged over 80 years.

No EU country or regulator is disputing the safety of the vaccine.

The NHS will contact you by letter and also possibly by text to invite you to book a vaccination. If you have received a text, you can wait for your letter, which will confirm the text's legitimacy.

Please note that the NHS will never ask for:

• Your bank account or card details (the Covid-19 vaccine is free of charge)
• Your pin or banking password
• Copies of personal documents to prove your identity such as your passport, driving licence, utility bills or payslips

If you have received a letter but not booked an appointment you may get a phone call from the NHS Immunisation Management Service. This call will be from 0300 561 0240.

This will be a reminder to book your Covid-19 vaccination appointments.

The person you speak to will see if you need any help and support. They will not call you to book appointments over the phone.

The Covid-19 vaccine is not mandatory. We will be working hard to ensure that as many people as possible are able to get vaccinated across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire.

We believe that the vast majority of the community will choose to protect themselves and their families.

There are over 20 vaccination sites across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire.

They are located at a variety of venues including large sites (e.g. Bath Racecourse and Salisbury City Hall), community locations (e.g. Devizes Corn Exchange) and pharmacies.The large sites are designed to offer the highest volume of vaccinations at a time.

Please book an appointment as soon as you are eligible, all of the sites offering the vaccination are listed on the National Booking System and if your preferred site isn't available when you try to book, keep checking back as appointments are made available all the time as supply allows.

There are around 20 vaccination sites located across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, with all of the community-based venues providing the vaccine to those people living in the immediate local area.

It is hoped that most people will be able to attend a site that is close to their home, and for which travel time should be minimal.

Although social distancing restrictions remain in place, friends and family can still provide people lifts to and from the vaccine centres for people with no means of alternative transport. 

Please remember to wear a face covering when in a car with anyone from outside your home or care bubble.

For those unable to secure such support, public transport is still operating locally, with many of the vaccine sites situated on, or very near to, major bus routes. 

Yes. All of the vaccine sites across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire are accessible to people in wheelchairs or with a mobility-limiting condition.

If you need additional assistance at the vaccine centre, please share this at the point of booking your appointment and speak to a member of staff upon arrival.

Updated 8 November 2021:

If you are travelling to Bath Racecourse for a booked vaccination appointment, we advise you to take the Lansdown Park & Ride Service (No. 31) from Milsom Street in Bath City Centre.

A free shuttle service will run from the Park & Ride on the hour and on the half hour to Bath Racecourse, returning from the Racecourse to the Park & Ride at quarter past and quarter to the hour, between the times listed on the Bath and North East Somerset Council website.

Please note: this service does not run on a Saturday.

For more information about the service, visit the national journey planner.

Although every effort should be made to attend appointments, it is understood that there may be some occasions in which a cancellation is necessary.

If you need to cancel or change you appointment, you can do this via the National Booking System. Please note that you will have to first cancel aqn appointment before you can change it.

Like all vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Staff administering the vaccine are trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.

Most side effects are mild or moderate and go away within a few days of appearing. If side effects such as pain and/or fever are troublesome, they can be treated by medicines for pain and fever such as paracetamol.

If you experience a temperature it is essential that you self-isolate and contact arrange a COVID-19 test as soon as possible.

Side effects may occur with following frequencies:

Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 people

• Pain at injection site
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chills
• Joint pain
• Fever

Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people

• Injection site swelling
• Redness at injection site
• Nausea

Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people

• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Feeling unwell

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed here. It is essential to report side effects that may be Covid-19 symptoms, as such by self-isolating immediately and getting a test.

You can also report side effects directly via the Coronavirus Yellow Card reporting site or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store and include the vaccine brand and batch/Lot number if available. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of the vaccine.

Yes.

Although the Covid-19 vaccine is the best way to stop somebody from getting seriously ill with coronavirus, scientists say that it takes around two weeks from the day of vaccination for a good level of protection to build up.

All people, regardless of whether they have had the vaccine or not, must continue to follow the current government guidelines on the use of face coverings and social distancing.

More information on this can be found at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Yes. The vaccine does not provide instant immunity from the virus - immunity starts around 3 weeks after the first dose of vaccination but, as we have seen, the virus can mutate and it’s important that we continue to monitor the COVID-19-status of those who have received a vaccination. If you develop symptoms you must self-isolate and arrange to have a test.

Yes. You must still self-isolate if you are required to, even after you have been vaccinated.

We recommend having something small to eat before your appointment. Fainting after vaccination is mostly due to anxiety or low blood sugar levels, so eating something small is a good precaution to take.

Any person with a previous history of allergic reactions to the ingredients of the vaccine should not receive it.

However, people with other allergies, such as food allergies or those that require you to carry an Epipen, can have the vaccine.

It’s important that you have a conversation with your GP if you are concerned.

If you take anticoagulant medication (such as apixaban, edoxoban, rivaroxaban or warfarin) you can still have the vaccination provided your therapy is stable. If you are taking warfarin make sure you are up to date with INR testing and your latest INR was below the upper threshold of your therapeutic range. Please inform the member of staff undertaking clinical assessment at the vaccination site that you are taking an anticoagulant. You will be at higher risk of bruising at the injection site.

If you have a bleeding disorder please seek advice from your GP or specialist before booking your appointment.

If you currently have a severe infection with a high temperature (over 38°C) please cancel your appointment and wait until you have fully recovered. Minor illnesses such as a cold are not reasons to delay vaccination.

The protection against Covid-19 may not be effective until at least 21 days after the first dose.

We are awaiting further clinical evidence on how long the protection lasts.

You should not have your Covid-19 vaccine if you have had either of the shingles vaccines in the past seven days.

Patients who are due to have surgery that requires an overnight stay within the next four weeks will be prioritised and offered a vaccine ahead of their admission to hospital.

Any person with questions should contact their GP practice. 

All coronavirus vaccines have been tested extensively in thousands of people in countries across the globe.

The data from these trials has been independently verified by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which has approved the use of all vaccines currently being given in the UK.

The vaccines are highly effective in providing protection against coronavirus and you cannot choose which vaccine you receive unless you have a medical condition that means a certain vaccine is inappropriate.

If your GP knows you are housebound and you are in the top four priority groups as set by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, you will be contacted to book your vaccination at home.

Any person who has not yet received their vaccination and has recently become housebound should contact their GP practice to ensure records are up-to-date. 

None of the ingredients for any of the vaccines contain components of animal origin.

The Vegan Society has stated:

‘The definition of veganism recognises that it is not always possible or practicable for vegans to avoid participating in animal use, which is particularly relevant to medical situations.

In the case of Covid-19, vaccination will play a fundamental role in tackling the pandemic and saving lives. As there is currently a legal requirement that all vaccines are tested on animals, at this point in time it is impossible to have a vaccine that has been created without animal use.

The Vegan Society encourages vegans to look after their health and that of others, in order to continue to be effective advocates for veganism and other animals.’

We recommend having something small to eat before your appointment. Fainting after vaccination is mostly due to anxiety or low blood sugar levels, so eating something small is a good precaution to take.

No. There is absolutely no evidence, and no theoretical reason why any of the vaccines can affect the fertility of women or men.

Find out more about the Covid-19 vaccines and fertility through the British Fertility Society.

Yes. People of reproductive age are advised to have the vaccine when they receive their invitation for vaccination.

This includes those who are actively trying to have a baby as well as those who are thinking about having a baby, whether that is in the near future or in a few years’ time.

Find out more about the Covid-19 vaccines and fertility through the British Fertility Society.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that women who are currently pregnant or think they could be should be offered Covid-19 vaccines at the same time as people of the same age or risk group. However, the committee has said that pregnant women should only receive the vaccines that have been produced by either Pfizer or Moderna.

If you are planning to become pregnant, you are still able to have the vaccination. You do not need to avoid becoming pregnant afterwards.

You can have the vaccination if you are breastfeeding. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised there is no known risk associated with this.

More information regarding the coronavirus vaccine during pregnancy is provided by Public Health England.

Further advice, including facts and more FAQs is provided by the Royal College of Midwives.

The booking system will only offer you appointments with a vaccine that is appropriate based on your age.

I.e. if you are under 40 years, it will only offer appointments with an alternative to the AstraZeneca (Oxford) vaccine. 

If you are 40 years or above, the system will ask you if you are pregnant before offering you an appropriate appointment. 

You can read our press releases about the vaccination programme at links below - with the most recent listed first:

• More people to be invited for coronavirus vaccine after first phase sees more than 220,000 of the most vulnerable protected
• People over 70 and yet to be contacted for coronavirus vaccine now able to book appointments online or over the phone
• High street pharmacies join list of local venues providing lifesaving coronavirus vaccine
• Fire crews, volunteers and military personnel support NHS colleagues in rollout of lifesaving coronavirus vaccine
• Salisbury and Bath to play host to large-scale NHS Vaccination Centres
• As all community vaccine sites open, health leaders reassure people not yet contacted they haven't been forgotten
• Vaccination site in Bath City Centre opens at Pavilion building
• New Year sees arrival of more vaccination sites as number of local coronavirus infections continues to rise
• Public advised to wait for coronavirus vaccine call
• First GP-led Covid-19 Local Vaccination Services to open this week
• Hundreds of people across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire receive lifesaving coronavirus vaccine at iconic local venues

We are also briefing our stakeholders each week about the progress of the vaccination programme. 

Read our stakeholder briefings.

The following community-based, GP-led vaccine sites have been in operation since December:

• Steam Museum, Swindon
• Corn Exchange, Devizes
• Rowden Surgery, Chippenham
• Combe Down Surgery, near Bath
• The White Horse Health Centre, Westbury
• Ramsbury Surgery, Marlborough
• Spencer Sport and Social Club, Melksham

The following sites have been used since January 2021 (note: some no longer in operation - May 2021):

• Wingfield Surgery, Trowbridge
• Michael Herbert Centre, Wilton
• Tidworth Leisure Centre, Tidworth
• Malmesbury Primary Care Centre, Malmesbury
• Batheaston Medical Centre, Batheaston
• Somer Centre, Midsomer Norton
• Northlands Surgery, Calne
• The Pavilion, Bath
• Larkhill Medical Centre
• Salisbury Cathedral
• West View Surgery, Keynsham
• Pewsey Surgery

You can find a list of all vaccine sites in our FAQs.