We are due to start Covid-19 vaccinations in early January. Please read the patient information leaflet here.
What to expect after your COVID-19 vaccination (publishing.service.gov.uk) (PDF)
NHS England has set out a clear priority list and you will be invited to make your appointment in line with this. Please do not ring the usual surgery lines and please do not ring the appointment line unless you have received an invitation by text, email or telephone. Your invitation will include the telephone number of the appointment line.
If you are housebound and unable to leave your home for vaccination alternative arrangements will be made for you and we will inform you once those arrangements are in place.
The clinics will take place at The Michael Herbert Hall on South Street in Wilton, opposite The Old Orchard Surgery. There is good parking alongside the hall. These clinics are NOT drive-thru. There are no toilet facilities at the Hall so please makes sure that you have been at home before you arrive. A short sleeve blouse or shirt under your coat will make the clinic run smoothly for everyone.
Public advised to wait for Coronavirus vaccine call
People registered with a GP surgery in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire who are eligible for the coronavirus vaccine should wait to be contacted by the NHS, instead of calling local hospitals or GP practices directly.
The advice comes as the region prepares to deliver the first batch of vaccines for Covid-19, which were officially approved for use by the medicines regulator last week.
First in line for the vaccine will be people aged 80 and over, as well as care home staff and the frontline NHS workers most at-risk.
The rollout of the vaccine is a huge logistical challenge and comes at a time when the NHS is already managing ongoing coronavirus-related challenges, as well as traditional winter pressures.
Local people can show their support for the operation by waiting to be contacted with instructions of how to receive the vaccine while continuing to observe the current social distancing guidance.
The physical process of giving the vaccine to the one million people living in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire will be a marathon and not a sprint, with vaccination happening over the next few months.
More information on the vaccine can be found online by visiting www.nhs.uk.
Sixpenny Handley and Chalke Valley practice Covid-19 vaccine invitations for over 80s vaccine
We are delighted to be receiving our first delivery of the PfizerBioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday 6th January to be given at The Michael Herbert Hall in Wilton. Invitations will soon be starting to go out to people aged 80 and over followed by health and Social Care workers.
Please wait for us to contact you about how and when you can book your vaccine. We must keep our main surgery telephone lines available for usual surgery business and there is still a limited supply of vaccine.
Please check the location of the Michael Herbert Hall on the map on our website.
Milton map
Directions to the Michael Herbert Hall
There are no toilet facilities at the Hall. A short sleeve blouse or shirt under your coat will make the clinic run smoothly.
How is the vaccine given?
The COVID-19 vaccine is given as an injection into your upper arm. It is given as 2 doses, at least 21 days apart.
If you have any questions about the PfizerBioNTech vaccine in advance of booking your slots please read the information leaflet on the vaccine (PDF).
How safe is the COVID-19 vaccine?
The first COVID-19 vaccine to be approved for use in the UK was developed by Pfizer/BioNTech. It has 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.
Other vaccines are being developed. The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine has just been approved and we expect to be available to us soon.
So far, thousands of people have been given a COVID-19 vaccine and reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare. No long-term complications have been reported.
How effective is the COVID-19 vaccine?
After having both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine most people will be protected against coronavirus. It takes a few weeks after getting the 2nd dose for it to work.
There is a small chance you might still get coronavirus even if you have the vaccine.
This means it is important to:
- continue to follow social distancing guidance
- if you can, wear something that covers your nose and mouth in places where it’s hard to stay away from other people
COVID-19 vaccine side effects
Most side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are mild and should not last longer than a week, such as:
- a sore arm where the needle went in
- feeling tired
- a headache
- feeling achy
You can take painkillers, such as paracetamol, if you need to. If you have a high temperature you may have coronavirus or another infection.
If your symptoms get worse or you are worried, call 111.
Allergic reactions
Tell staff before you are vaccinated if you have ever had a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). You should not have the vaccine if you’ve ever had a serious allergic reaction to medicines, vaccines or food. However, it is safe to have the vaccine if you have had a serious allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting.
If you do have a reaction to the vaccine, it usually happens in minutes. This is why you will need to wait at the vaccination clinic for 15 minutes after your vaccination.
Staff giving the vaccine are trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.
This is a hugely positive step forwards after such a difficult year for everyone and we would ask you to seriously consider having a vaccination.
