Stroud Practice

COVID-19 VACCINATION NEWS Autumn 2022

 Seasonal (Autumn) COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine programme

You can have a seasonal booster dose (autumn booster) of the COVID-19 vaccine if you are:

• aged 50 or over
• pregnant
• aged 5 to 49 and at high risk due to a health condition
• aged 5 to 49 and at high risk because of a weakened immune system
• aged 5 to 49 and live with someone who has a weakened immune system
• aged 16 to 49 and a carer
• living or working in a care home for older people
• a frontline health and social care worker

When to get your seasonal booster

You can have your seasonal booster (autumn booster) if it's been at least 3 months since you had your previous dose.

If you have not had a 1st or 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine yet, you should have them as soon as possible.

If you have a severely weakened immune system you should get an additional primary dose before you get a booster.

How to get a seasonal booster dose

The practice will shortly be offering Covid Boosters at the practice and may be given along side your flu vaccination if available

Alternatively you can:

• book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment online if you are 65 and over, at higher risk or are pregnant, a frontline health and social care worker, a carer, or you have or live with someone who has a weakened immune system
• find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site to get vaccinated without needing an appointment

What to do if you've had COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19

If you or your child have COVID-19, or symptoms of COVID-19 but have not had a test, you should wait until your symptoms are better before you get the vaccine.

You should ideally wait:

• 4 weeks (28 days) if you’re aged 18 or over
• 12 weeks (84 days) if you or your child are aged 5 to 17
• 4 weeks (28 days) if you or your child are aged 5 to 17 and at high risk from COVID-19, or live with someone who has a weakened immune system

This starts from the date your symptoms started or from the date of a positive test, whichever was earlier.

COVID-19 booster dose and flu vaccine

Some people who can get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are also eligible for the annual flu vaccine.

If you are offered both vaccines, it's safe to have them at the same time.

Find out more about the flu vaccine

You will need your NHS number. Find this at nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number

Information on the vaccine is available on the NHS.UK website, please follow the link https://nhs.uk/CovidVaccine

If you need medical advice or treatment, please ring us on 01922 423580 or, for non-urgent advice or treatment, visit our website and send us your query – our opening hours are 8.00 am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday. 

When you phone or go online, you will be asked to provide some information about your healthcare need. This will help the practice healthcare team assess the most appropriate way to provide your care, which may include a face-to-face consultation and ensure it is provided by the most appropriate person. Face-to-face appointments are available to all patients where there is a clinical need.

Online consultation requests for non-urgent help can be made at any time. They will be responded to as soon as possible, usually within two working days.

Alternatively, visit the local pharmacy for clinical advice on minor health concerns.

For urgent issues or out of hours, you can also call the NHS on 111 or go online to seek NHS advice 111.nhs.uk If you have the NHSApp you can access NHS111 on it. The app is available on iOS and android.

Appointments are being delivered face-to-face, by telephone, or using video calls and messaging to your mobile or computer – the practice team will assess what is most appropriate for you and if you have a preference you can discuss this with them

Our staff are working extremely hard to provide services and care and we would like to thank our patients for your continued support.

1. Visit your GP surgery website and complete a confidential online form to request advice or treatment. You will receive a response as soon as possible, usually within two working days. Online forms should not be used for very urgent medical problems.
2. Call your surgery to arrange an appointment. You will usually be assessed by a clinician on the telephone first, with face-to-face care arranged if clinically needed. 
3. Please don’t enter the practice if you have any Covid symptoms.
4. For urgent issues or out of hours, you can also call the NHS on 111 or go online to seek NHS advice 111.nhs.uk
5. Download the NHS App to order repeat prescriptions and get health advice.
6. Our staff in the surgery are here to help you and make sure you get the right treatment as quickly as possible. We aim to be polite, helpful and sensitive to our patients’ needs and concerns. In return we ask that all patients treat our staff with respect. We have a zero-tolerance policy to aggressive, violent or abusive behaviour against our staff which may result in patients being removed from our practice list and some cases we will choose to inform the police.