Vaccine update!

COVID-19 vaccine compulsory for everyone undertaking CQC regulated activities

Government has announced that individuals undertaking CQC regulated activities in England (all frontline NHS, private clinical settings and domiciliary care sector staff) will have to be fully vaccinated against COVID by 1 April 2022. Unvaccinated staff will need to have had their first dose by 3 February 2022, to have received their second dose by the deadline.

Research

New research suggests adults are underestimating the combined threat of COVID-19 and the potential of a significant flu surge this winter. Colder weather favours transmission, darker nights mean increased social contact indoors where it is less well ventilated, and there’s expected lower immunity to flu due to lower levels in circulation last winter. We need to take this seriously and defend ourselves and our NHS by getting the COVID-19 booster and the flu jab. Both these viruses are serious: they spread easily, cause hospitalisation and they can both be fatal. It is really important that people get their vaccines as soon as they can.

Booster doses

COVID-19 boosters should be taken up if it's been 6 months (182 days) since you had your second dose and you:

• Have contact with service users or patients either for clinical or social contact (that is, frontline health, social care workers, facilities management assistants, porters, estates staff etc.)
• Are aged 40 and over 
• Are aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts you at high risk from COVID-19.

The vaccination centre at Maghull Health Park remains open, as well as our roaming vaccinators (see schedule below and please drop in if you are nearby). Please note that it is extremely difficult to provide the COVID-19 booster at sites outside of the vaccination centre due to the vaccine’s instability and regulations around its administration so we’re unable to attend all Mersey Care sites. The National Booking Service site has appointments (for those people struggling to get to Maghull) and there is also a site finder to locate vaccine walk-in centres which is updated regularly. This finder shows which doses are offered at each location and to which age groups.

Eligible NHS staff can book an appointment for their flu jab at either their GP practice or local pharmacy.

Vaccination and pregnancy

The NHS is encouraging pregnant women to get the COVID-19 vaccine as new data shows that nearly 20% of the most critically ill COVID patients are pregnant women who have not been vaccinated.

Research shows pregnant women are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19 and 98% of those in hospital due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated. Pregnant women are also more likely to have severe COVID-19 infection if they are overweight or obese. The The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) recommend vaccination as one of the best defences against severe infection and whether they are pregnant, think they might be, or they are trying for a baby, they encourage them to take up the offer of a vaccine and get protected against COVID-19. There is no evidence so far to suggest that any COVID-19 vaccines used in England are unsafe for pregnant women, and there is no evidence that they will cause any problems for women wanting to become pregnant in the future.

Those who are pregnant can ask for their free flu jab at their local maternity service.

Vaccination and veganism

The Vegan Society encourages vegans to look after their health and that of others, to continue to be effective advocates for veganism and other animals. It is the responsibility of individuals to make an informed decision about vaccines, bearing in mind the definition of veganism, with support from their local healthcare team.

It’s unlikely that exemptions will be provided for vegans on the grounds of the protected characteristic ‘religion or belief’ - there is no ‘vegan exemption certificate’.

The definition of veganism recognises that it is not always possible or practicable for vegans to avoid participating in animal use, which is particularly relevant to medical situations. In the case of COVID-19, vaccination is playing a fundamental role in tackling the pandemic and saving lives. As there is currently a legal requirement that all vaccines are tested on animals, at this point in time it is impossible to have a vaccine that has been created without animal use.

However, COVID-19 vaccines do not contain egg or animal products. You can find out about the ingredients in the vaccines currently available in the UK on the GOV.UK website.

If you have any queries or need to cancel a booking, please contact: Vaccinations@merseycare.nhs.uk