Covid-19 vaccination

Covid-19

_{Page updated 28 March 2023}

Kent and Medway Covid-19 vaccination programme

Spring offer

The Covid-19 vaccination spring booster campaign will start on 17 April for those eligible, including:

•   residents of care homes for older adults
•   people aged 75 and over
•   people with a weakened immune system.

This includes those who turn 75, are admitted to an older adult care home or become immunosuppressed in June.

The NHS will let those eligible know when they can get the vaccine. Please wait to be contacted by the NHS if you believe you are eligible.

The spring booster vaccinations will be available until 30 June.

Evergreen offer

The current offer of first and second Covid-19 vaccinations for everyone (aged five on or before 31 August last year) will end on 30 June 2023.

After 30 June, it will not be possible to receive a first or second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine outside a seasonal campaign.

Those who enter care homes or turn 75 after 30 June are not eligible for further vaccination until the autumn programme begins. However, newly immunosuppressed individuals should continue to be offered vaccination through the summer period.

Those who become newly immunosuppressed after 30 June will be able to access vaccination outside a seasonal campaign due to the risks to their health. Details of this provision will follow in due course.

Timeline

3 April: First vaccinations will begin in care homes.
From 5 April: National booking system opens for spring vaccination bookings to all eligible groups, with appointments available from 17 April.
From 11 April: The first invitations for spring vaccinations will begin to land through our national call/recall system, encouraging the oldest age groups to come forward for vaccination first, before working through the age groups.
17 April: The NHS will begin to vaccinate most eligible members of the public.
5 May: Last chance to get a first dose in order to receive full primary course during spring for not-at-risk adults aged 18 and over.
29 June: The last date for the public to book spring boosters.
30 June: The last date for the public to get vaccinated.

For more information about Covid-19 visit the NHS’s Covid-19 website.

Book at an appointment on the national booking system

Find a walk-in clinic near you on the national grab a jab site

Additional information

Healthy five to 11-year-olds: two children’s doses, 12 weeks apart

Healthy 12 to 15-year-olds: two doses, 12 weeks apart

Healthy 16 to 74-year-olds: Two doses, eight weeks apart and a booster 12 weeks after the second dose.

Healthy over 75s and adult care home residents: Two adult doses, eight weeks apart. A first booster 12 weeks after the second dose.

At risk five to 11-year-olds: Two children’s doses, eight weeks apart

At risk 12 to 17-year-olds: Two doses, eight weeks apart and a booster 12 weeks after the second dose.

Severely immunosuppressed 12 and over: Three doses, each eight weeks apart. A first booster 12 weeks after the third dose.

Those who are severely immunosuppressed can book an appointment via the national booking service, or by visiting a walk-in vaccination clinic.

You will need to bring your GP/consultant letter of eligibility to your appointment.

This course of vaccination is for:

people with primary or acquired immunodeficiency states at the time of vaccination.
anyone on immunosuppressive or immunomodulating therapy at the time of vaccination.
those with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease who were receiving or had received immunosuppressive therapy prior to vaccination.
people who had received high-dose steroids (equivalent to >40mg prednisolone per day for more than a week) for any reason in the month before vaccination.

For full details of eligibility, please visit the government website.

If you believe you are immunosuppressed, but do not have a letter you should contact your consultant or general practice directly to request a letter of eligibility.

If you do not have a specific clinical authorisation letter that describes the condition, other acceptable forms of evidence to show at the vaccination centre include;

a hospital letter that describes the medication being prescribed
a prescription copy
a medication box with the patient’s name and a date on it.

The vaccination team may also ask you for proof of identification. This will also enable the vaccination team to confirm your eligibility on the vaccine record system.

Parental consent for 12 to 15-year-olds

Parental consent will always be requested before any child aged 12 to 15 is given the Covid-19 vaccination – in line with NHS rules. No vaccinations will take place without asking for parental consent.

There are exceptional circumstances where, if a child and parent/guardian have different opinions, the child can request for a medical professional to assess their capacity to consent to the vaccination themselves (this is known as Gillick competency).

16-year-olds and over

Parental consent is not required for those aged 16 and over who wish to receive the Covid-19 vaccination.

These rules are in line with the normal NHS guidance on parental consent.

The Covid-19 vaccine is still recommended for people with a history of allergic reactions provided those are not linked to ingredients within the vaccines. We have a dedicated process for supporting people with severe allergies. This includes specialist allergy advice from Guys and St Thomas' Hospital to help local clinicians and their patients agree the best approach for them.

If you have a history of severe allergic reactions, especially anaphylactic shock, please contact your GP when you are eligible for the vaccine.

If appropriate they will be able to arrange a referral to a hospital-based service to receive the vaccine.

Please do this rather than booking a vaccine appointment directly through the national booking service.

The autumn booster vaccination programme for housebound patients has finished.

If you are housebound and need a vaccination, please phone 119 to find your nearest provider.

A service has been launched to capture evidence of Covid-19 vaccinations administered in countries other than England, Scotland and Wales and have these recorded in the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS). This will then enable an accurate NHS Covid-19 Pass to be generated.

You can use this service if you’re:

aged 18 or over
have an NHS number
have received a Covid-19 vaccine dose outside of England that is one of the four MHRA-approved vaccine types; Astra Zeneca (Vaxzevria), Pfizer (Comirnaty), Janssen or Moderna (Spikevax).

Those wanting to use the service need to make an appointment at one of the vaccination centres offering this service.

Appointments need to be booked at and managed through the national booking service or by calling 119.

The NHS is offering antibody and antiviral treatments to people with Covid-19 who are at highest risk of becoming seriously ill.

Eligible people can use a positive lateral flow test (LFT) to be referred for treatment. It is important that treatment starts within five days of a positive test.

Most people who have conditions that put them in the highest risk category will have been contacted directly with information about how to get these treatments if needed.

Treatments for Covid-19 are for people aged 12 and over who:

are at highest risk of getting seriously ill from Covid-19
have symptoms of Covid-19 that started within the last five days
have tested positive for Covid-19 by PCR or LFT within the last five days.

If you think you, or someone you care for, is eligible for these treatments you can contact your GP surgery, when you have a positive test, and request a referral to the assessment unit.

It depends what other medication people are taking whether they can have the treatment, so all patients must be clinically assessed.

You should make sure you have a stock of lateral flow tests, and test at the first sign of symptoms. Order test kits online or call 119.