Covid-19 vaccination

Covid-19

_{Page updated 30 November 2023}

Kent and Medway Covid-19 vaccination programme

Autumn 2023 vaccines

The Covid-19 vaccination programme is now in its third autumn season. Vaccination helps to protect against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid-19.

All those eligible are urged to join the millions of others who have taken up their free vaccine offer to get winter strong – don’t put it off, book your appointment today and protect yourself against the risk of severe illness.

The national booking system closes for Covid-19 vaccine appointment bookings on Friday, 15 December.

After this date, you can still have your Covid-19 vaccine at a walk in clinic or pharmacy.

JCVI advises the following groups be offered a Covid-19 booster vaccine this autumn:

residents in a care home for older adults
all adults aged 65 years and over
those aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group
frontline health and social care workers
people aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
people aged 16 to 64 years who are carers and staff working in care homes for older adults.

If you need further clarification, please contact the Covid Vaccination Team, email kmicb.covidvaccine@nhs.net

New severely immunosuppressed patients

If you develop a new health condition or start treatment that severely weakens your immune system, you may need additional protection before autumn 2023.

Your specialist will assess whether you need an additional vaccine. They will make a referral and advise on the best timing for vaccination around your planned treatment. Speak to your consultant or specialist for more information.

Clinically vulnerable six month to four-year-olds

Only children aged six months to four-years-old, who are at increased risk from Covid-19 can currently get a Covid-19 vaccine.

Local NHS services (such as your GP surgery) will invite eligible children for their vaccinations and arrange their appointments. If your child is eligible because they are at increased risk from Covid-19, please wait to be contacted.

Additional information

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 starts on 11 September 2023.

For the latest information about the Covid-19 vaccination, visit nhs.uk/covidvaccination

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 or hospital specialist, of NHS 111, 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.

Please email kmicb.cmdusupport@nhs.net