COVID-19 Latest News and Updates
PLEASE NOTE THE VACCINATION CENTRE HAS NOW MOVED TO TESCO EXTRA CAR PARK
CORONAVIRUS VACCINATIONS
COVID-19 VACCINATION SPRING BOOSTER PROGRAMME
From Monday 21st March, Spring booster vaccines are being offered to people at greatest risk of COVID-19 in the latest phase of the vaccine programme.
Spring boosters are available to:
- adults aged 75 years and over
- residents in care homes for older adults
- individuals aged 12 years and over who have a weakened immune system – this includes people in different groups including those with underlying health conditions such as chronic leukaemia or lymphoma, and those who have had immunosuppressive treatment following an organ transplant or have had radiotherapy or chemotherapy
Book a vaccination appointment online by clicking here, or by calling 119.
Patients are advised to wait 6 months since their previous dose to get maximum protection from a spring booster, although the minimum interval is 3 months.
NOTE: Immunocompromised patients who require a 3rd or 4th dose, you must take your letter/text with you as proof of eligibility.
The North Devon COVID-19 Vaccination Centre is based at Tesco Taw View Extra in Barnstaple. The centre is staffed by specially-trained vaccinators and support staff with help from volunteers.
They are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm, and Saturday & Sunday 8.30am-4pm.
To check your eligibility and what you need to know before you go please click
here.
Following extensive trials, the COVID-19 vaccine has been approved in the UK and is now available.
Vaccinations are being delivered according to priority groups identified by the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The vaccinations may not take place at your GP practice, but rather a local vaccination service (led by GPs, practice nurses and community pharmacists) who are responsible for delivering the vaccine to people in your community.
Once you have received your vaccination it is still important to remember to wash your hands regularly, wear a face mask and keep your distance.
Vaccinations for 16-17 year olds
The JCVI is now advising that all 16 and 17 years olds receive their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The updated advice means that the JVCI are confident that young people will be afforded around 80% protection against hospitalisation, following receipt of their first dose. It is expected that protection will probably be even higher as younger people respond better to vaccines and some will have already had the COVID-19 infection, meaning they will have an even better response to a first dose.
You can find more information about the COVID-19 vaccination programme NHS.UK website.
A new film shares experiences from Devon vaccination centres
A new film, launched by the NHS in Devon, highlights the positive experiences of patients, volunteers and staff across the county’s vaccination centres.
Getting the Coronavirus vaccine – A Message from Devon aims to reassure people about both having the vaccination and the process of attending a centre. It encourages others to take up the opportunity when they are invited. Providers and vaccination sites can easily share the video from You Tube on their own channels.
Please remember that even after having your vaccination everyone still needs to socially distance, wear face masks and wash your hands regularly.
Frontline Workers
Frontline workers are eligible for the vaccine. For all of the roles listed below, photo ID and evidence of employment will be required. These are the 3 distinct groups;
Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust Staff
- NDHT employed staff
- NDHT volunteers/bank/agency/locums
- Sodexo staff working at NDHT sites
- Devon Partnership Trust staff for Northern Locality
- SWAST staff for Northern Locality
- Staff from other Acute Hospital Trusts
If you are one of the above you need to contact NDHT on ndht.queriescovidvaccinationteam@nhs.net
Other Healthcare staff working in the Northern Locality NOT in the above group
This includes dentists, opticians, chiropodists or anyone in a healthcare role. Ideally through your manager, you need to contact d-ccg.covid-staffmassvaccinationbookingsystem@nhs.net
Other Social Care staff working in the Northern Locality NOT in the above groups
For anyone in a social care role. Ideally through your manager, you need to contact MassVac-CareProvision@devon.gov.uk
Health and social care self-declare booking function re-enabled on NBS
As the National Booking Service functionality has now changed in line with the JVCI guidance on use of AstraZeneca vaccine, the self-declare function allows frontline eligible health and social care workers to book through the National Booking Service.
Self Isolating
Fully vaccinated individuals who are identified as contacts of someone with COVID-19 should take daily rapid lateral flow tests for 7 days, but are not legally required to self-isolate. Unvaccinated contacts are legally required to self-isolate for the full 10-day period.
People self-isolating with COVID-19 will have the option to reduce their isolation period after 5 full days if they test negative on both day 5 and day 6 and do not have a temperature. Individuals who are still positive on their rapid lateral flow tests must stay in isolation until they have had 2 consecutive negative tests taken on separate days. For more information please visit GOV.UK COVID PASS
An NHS COVID Pass shows your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination details or test results. This is your COVID-19 status.
If you have full access to the NHS App, and are registered at a GP surgery in England, you can view and share your COVID Pass for event trails and travel abroad. If you do not have full access to the NHS APP, you can still get your COVID Pass. Please scroll down further for more information on the NHS App. For more information on the NHS COVID Pass please click here.
COVID Vaccination & International Travel
Demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination status allows you to show others that you’ve had a full course of the COVID-19 vaccine when travelling abroad to some countries or territories. A full course is currently 2 doses of any approved vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccination status is available to people who live in England and are registered with a GP.
Your NHS appointment card from vaccination centres cannot be used to demonstrate your vaccine status.
How to access your COVID-19 vaccination status
Through the NHS App
You can access your COVID-19 vaccination status through the free NHS App. You can access the app through mobile devices such as a smartphone or tablet. Proof of your COVID-19 vaccination status will be shown within the NHS App. We recommend that you register with the app before booking international travel. For access via the NHS App you do not need to contact your GP.
This is not the same as the NHS COVID-19 app.
The NHS App will continue to be developed with further updates in the future. This will include the ability to show your COVID-19 test results.
Through the NHS website
You can view your COVID-19 vaccination status online and download or print it as a PDF document.
You will need to register for an NHS login if you do not have one already, to access the service. NHS login registrations may take longer than usual when there are high numbers of requests.
Access your COVID-19 vaccination status via the NHS website.
By calling 119
If you do not have access to a smartphone, computer or tablet and know that the country you are travelling to requires COVID-19 vaccination status, you can call 119 and ask for a letter to be posted to you.
Request a letter only if you:
- have been fully vaccinated by the NHS in England (you should wait 5 working days after your second dose)
- are planning to travel in the next 4 weeks to a country that requires evidence of COVID vaccination
- cannot access the digital service via the NHS App
We expect the letter to take up to 7 working days to reach you.
The letter will be sent to the address registered with your GP. The 119 call handler you speak to will not be able to see your address to check this with you. If you have recently moved house, make sure you’ve given your new address to your GP practice before calling 119.
Do not contact your GP surgery about your COVID-19 vaccination status. GPs cannot provide letters showing your COVID-19 vaccination status.