CORONAVIRUS
More information can be found at the link below:
**Please ensure that your contact details are up to date with the surgery so that we can get in touch with you regarding your COVID Vaccination and any future appointments**
COVID Vaccination Notices
Please click here for a list of walk-in and pre-bookable COVID-19 Vaccination clinics for the next week.
AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccination:
The UK vaccination programme has been very successful with more than 30 million people vaccinated and more than 6,000 lives already saved.
The vaccines approved for use in the UK have 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.
So far, millions of people have been given a COVID-19 vaccine and reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions or clotting problems, have been very rare. You can find out more about this rare issue and advice for different age groups here: https://www.healthierlsc.co.uk/CovidVaccination/faqs/astrazeneca-vaccination
Getting your second dose
If you have already had a first dose of AZ vaccine you will be offered a second dose of the AZ vaccine. An alternative vaccine will not be offered for your second dose. Guidance is clear that if you have already had a first dose of AZ vaccine without suffering any serious side effects you that you should complete the course by getting your second dose. This includes people aged 18 to 29 years who are health and social care workers, unpaid carers and family members of those who are immunosuppressed. It is expected that the first dose of the vaccine will have given you some protection, particularly against severe disease.
If you have any doubt about your second dose of the AZ vaccination you should discuss this with your GP practice.
COVID VACCINATION ROLLOUT - Message from Clinical Services Manager
At PSM Medical Group the Covid vaccine programme is being delivered alongside routine work and whilst still delivering the flu vaccination programme. We will be vaccinating patients based on the age priority list as issued by HM Government. Patients over the age of 80 being first and as a practice we have begun vaccinating patients based on the age priority list. Only patients with a booked appointment will be vaccinated.
Patients will require a second dose however this will now be given at weeks 9-12 and not week 3 in line with recently published government guidelines. Patients will be given the same vaccine for the second dose as the first dose.
In order to deliver the covid vaccination programme we are working with 9 other local surgeries within our Primary Care Network (PCN). Due to the temperature/storage requirements of the vaccine and the fact we only have a limited amount of days to use the vaccine once delivered, appointment dates are limited and these clinics will be based at Geoffrey Health Centre, Preston. We are working to extremely short turnaround times once we have confirmation of delivery of this vaccine in order to book patients an appointment.
The Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine is also now available and appointments for this vaccine are also offered at Geoffrey Health Centre.
All eligible patients will be contacted by text or telephone. Over time all patients within the priority groups who wish to have the vaccine will be able to have the vaccine. However we ask that you are patient. We are unable to advise in advance any upcoming clinic dates as the current delivery schedule for the vaccines is very sporadic.
Patients’ who have not yet been contacted, will be contacted as more deliveries dates are confirmed. NHS England are managing and coordinating delivery nationally.
Our phone lines are extremely busy and it is important that patients who need medical care are able to access our telephone lines so we therefore ask that you do not ring us about this, we will contact you when we receive notification of further vaccine supply.
Thank you for your patience.
CORONAVIRUS NOTICE
If you are currently experiencing a high temperature (over 37.8°C), OR have a new, continuous cough, OR experiencing loss of taste and smell then please protect yourself and others by staying home and not visiting the Practice.
If you cannot manage your symptoms at home, then please contact the NHS 111 Online Service by following this link.
Daily updates for the public, including case numbers, risk level and travel advice, can be found via the Government website.
Medical guidance for members of the public can also be found on the NHS website.
FAQ's for high risk patients can be found here.