COVID-19 Booster vaccination information
There is a plan to offer COVID-19 booster vaccines from September 2021, in order to prolong the protection that vaccines provide in those who are most vulnerable to serious COVID-19 ahead of the winter months. The 2-stage programme would take place alongside the annual flu vaccination programme. These will be communicated out via your registered GP in due course so it is important that you register with your GP as an unpaid carer.
Covid-19 vaccination information for carers
Please see below latest government information for Covid-19 vaccinations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The following information is to provide clear guidence on the priority lists for the rollout of the vaccine vaccine vaccine
Unpaid carers are classed in Priority Group 6 if they are in receipt of a carer's allownace, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill. To ensure you are contacted for a Covid 19 vaccine you will need to contact your GP and ask to be registered as an unpaid carer.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-30-december-2020/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation-advice-on-priority-groups-for-covid-19-vaccination-30-december-2020
For more information on the Pfizer Vaccination click HERE
For more information on the Oxford Vaccination click HERE
Call for People Aged 70 And Over To Contact NHS For A Covid-19 Jab
People aged 70 and over who have not yet been vaccinated against Covid-19 and who would like to be are now being asked to contact the NHS to arrange a jab.
Until now the NHS has asked people to wait until they are contacted to help ensure that those who are most vulnerable are protected first - and that remains the case for most people.
However, to ensure absolutely everyone is offered the vaccine, people aged 70 and over can now contact the NHS so they can be vaccinated by the middle of this month.
The easiest way to arrange a vaccination is through the national booking service which can be accessed at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination.
The system allows patients to choose a time slot and location that suits them.
Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.
If a suitable and convenient slot is not available people can also call their GP practice.
Important Covid 19 Vaccination information for unpaid carers
The definition for carers entitled to the vaccination in this group is detailed below:
Unpaid carers are classed in Priority Group 6 if they are in receipt of a carer's allowance, or those who are the main carer (those who are the sole or primary carer) of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill.
If the above criteria applies to you as a carer you can now register for the Covid-19 vaccination as follows:
- You will need to contact your GP to register as an unpaid carer. They may ask for a copy of this letter as evidence of registration with Sefton Carers Centre.
- The GP will then be able to make arrangements for you to receive a vaccination.
If you are taking the person you care for to a vaccination appointment you may be able to receive yours at the same time, please discuss this with your GP prior to the appointment. Your GP practice is unlikely to be able to offer you an appointment at the time you contact them, you will be called as the practice works through its list of patients
In phase one of the programme the groups below are the priority groups:
| 1. | Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers |
| 2. | All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers |
| 3. | All those 75 years of age and over |
| 4. | All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals |
| 5. | All those 65 years of age and over |
| 6. | All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality |
| 7. | All those 60 years of age and over |
| 8. | All those 55 years of age and over |
| 9. | All those 50 years of age and over |
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)
If you are an unpaid Carer and provide personal care to someone outside of your household, you can now consider using PPE to protect you and the person you are caring for, and Sefton Council are now able to offer a ready-made pack of PPE that will be provided free of charge. This includes protective gloves, disposable face masks, aprons and eye protection. This resource will be available until March 2022.
Information on when to use PPE and using it correctly can be found in at the following link to Public Health England guide. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-protective-equipment-ppe-illustrated-guide-for-community-and-social-care-settings
To order your PPE from Sefton Council, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and make sure you clearly mark your email as “Carers PPE”. Once your request has been received you will be advised of a date and time when to collect your PPE from two available collection points.
Please let Sefton Council know if you are unable to collect your PPE as soon as possible.
For those Carers without access to email please call the Council’s Contact Centre on 0345 140 0845 who will pass your details on to the Emergency PPE contact.
