New Covid vaccination advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) published last week (30th December 2020) has revised its recommendations to include unpaid carers in the vaccine priority list.

It now recommends unpaid carers who get Carers Allowance or who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill should be prioritised alongside people with underlying health conditions. This means unpaid carers are now in priority group six (see below for full listings).

We welcome this news, which follows a campaign to add carers to the priority list. It is not yet clear when unpaid carers will be offered the vaccine though as the focus is currently on the first four groups to have their first vaccination by mid-February.

Priority list:

1. Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
2. All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
3. All those 75 years of age and over
4. All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
5. All those 65 years of age and over
6. All individuals aged 16 - 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
7. All those 60 years of age and over
8. All those 55 years of age and over
9. All those 50 years of age and over

Receiving the Covid vaccine:

You will not need to ring your GP surgery to arrange having your vaccine - the NHS will contact you when it's your turn.
If you have not already registered with your GP as a carer, we suggest giving us a call on 0300 012 4272. We can advise you on the best steps to take to ensure you are on the priority list for when the vaccine is available for carers.

You will need to have two doses of the Covid vaccine to give you the best protection. The second vaccine is given 12 weeks after the first (this has changed from previously 21 days).

There is a chance you might still get or spread coronavirus even if you have the vaccine, so this means it is important to continue following government guidance regarding social distancing and wearing a face covering.

For more information on the Covid vaccine click HERE.

For updated Covid information click HERE.