As restrictions are eased and we learn to live with COVID-19, it is even more important to get vaccinated as vaccines are your best protection against COVID-19. Anyone with COVID-19 can become seriously ill or have long-term effects. Vaccines are the best way to prevent you from getting seriously ill, ensuring you can live a more normal life. Vaccines can:
Vaccination centres are open for everyone, no matter if you are coming for your 1st, 2nd or Booster dose. It’s not too late to get vaccinated.
Book your free vaccineAll 4 vaccines have been tested on thousands of people, both in the UK and around the world and are approved by the independent Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to ensure they meet strict international safety, quality and effectiveness standards.
Everyone aged 12 and over and some children aged 5-11 are being offered the 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and a second one 12 weeks later. You will be contacted by a local NHS service if your child is eligible to arrange appointments. Boosters are being offered to children aged 16 and over who have had their 2nd dose at least 3 months ago.
Parents or guardians will always be asked for their consent before vaccination of their child can take place. They will get a letter with information about when their children will be offered the vaccine. Most children will be given their vaccine at school if their parent or guardian has consented to it but you can also book your child’s vaccine online.
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You can book an appointment anytime online.
If you are aged 16 or over, you can walk in without an appointment. You do not need to be registered with a GP or bring any ID.
You need to be registered with a GP surgery in England to use this service. You can register with a GP if you do not have one.
You’ll be asked some questions about your medical history, to make sure that you are not one of the small number of people who cannot have the vaccine for medical reasons.
You’ll then receive a vaccine injection into your upper arm (you can choose which arm). It feels like a small pin prick which lasts 1-2 seconds.
You will likely be asked to wait for 15 minutes after having the vaccination. You’ll also be given a leaflet about what to expect after your vaccination to take home with you.
We have collated some frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines. If you can’t see your question here, contact us.
Vaccines train your immune system using a harmless form of the virus. The vaccine activates your immune response.
Everyone above the age of 18 should have at least 2 doses and a booster to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Infectious diseases are often easily passed from person to person and entire communities can rapidly become infected. If a high enough proportion of a community is protected by vaccination, it makes it difficult for the disease to spread because the number of people who can be infected is so small.
No. The current COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the UK do not contain animal products.
No.
You should not receive the vaccine until you have recovered from COVID-19.
Long COVID is often used to describe the long-term effects of COVID-19, where some people have symptoms for weeks or months after the infection has been cleared. Those suffering with long COVID can receive the COVID-19 vaccine and would benefit from vaccination to reduce their risk of further infection.
Yes, two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccines are needed to provide the best, longest-lasting protection against COVID-19.
Different vaccines for COVID-19 are essential to control the pandemic as to vaccinate all the world’s population, billions of doses need to be produced. This will be more likely to be achieved through developing multiple COVID-19 vaccines.
Before any vaccine can be given to the population it must go through rigorous testing. Like all medicines, vaccines undergo extensive clinical trials, where they are administered and monitored in groups of volunteers. In the UK, the results of the trials are then assessed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
No. All the standard safety procedures have been followed during clinical trials on vaccines for COVID-19 and the rigorous regulatory processes have been fully completed as for any other vaccine or medicine.
There is no evidence that the vaccines for COVID-19 harm fertility or reduce the chances of becoming pregnant. Although clinical trial participants were asked to avoid becoming pregnant, 57 pregnancies occurred across the trials of the three vaccines that have so far been approved in the UK.
Many people who are able to have the flu vaccine are also able to have the COVID-19 booster vaccine. If you are offered both vaccines it is safe to have them at the same time.
The flu vaccine is offered every year on the NHS to help protect people at risk of getting seriously ill from flu.The best time to have it is in the autumn or early winter before flu starts spreading.
The flu vaccine is important because:
If you’ve had COVID-19, it’s safe to have the flu vaccine. It will still be effective at helping to prevent flu.
Over time protection from the vaccination begins to lessen, a booster dose helps to improve the protection you have from your first 2 doses. The booster dose helps give you longer-term protection against getting seriously ill from COVID-19.
Like all medicines, the COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects, but not everyone gets them and most side effects are mild and should not last longer than a week, such as:
You can take painkillers such as paracetamol if you need to.
For more information on the COVID-19 Vaccines including videos and other resources.
