NHS reassuring people in West Yorkshire will be contacted for Covid-19 vaccination

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout in West Yorkshire is well underway – over a quarter of million people have now had their first vaccination and the NHS expects to have offered appointments to everyone in the first four priority groups over the next few weeks.

This includes people in care homes, people aged 70 and over and those who are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, as well as frontline health and care workers.

The NHS will contact people when it is their turn to have a vaccination and is asking people not to contact their local GP practice or NHS to book an appointment.

People will either be contacted by their local practice for an appointment at their local service or will receive a letter from the national booking system.

This will tell them how to book an appointment at one of the vaccination centres or community pharmacy centres that are within a reasonable distance from where they live.

Dr Phil Wood, Senior Responsible Officer for the West Yorkshire Vaccination Programme said: “We understand that people want to make sure that they will get a vaccination - and that’s exactly what we want too.

“We are asking people to help the NHS vaccinate people as quickly as possible by waiting for us to contact you. Vaccination supplies are delivered at different times and practices will have different numbers of patients in each priority group, so please don’t worry if you haven’t received your invitation yet but somebody you know has.

"The NHS is working very hard to ensure everyone who is eligible receives their invitation as soon as possible and we will contact everyone in the first four priority groups over the next few weeks.”

In West Yorkshire, there are now 43 GP-run vaccination centres, eight community pharmacy centres and 10 hospital vaccination centres.

The first large vaccination centre opened in Wakefield this week, and will be followed by centres in Bradford, Huddersfield and Leeds shortly.

It is extremely important that people take up the offer of having the vaccine when they are contacted to protect themselves and the people around them.

The vaccine is given as two doses. People will have the second dose 10-12 weeks after having the first dose; this will either be booked when making their first appointment or the NHS will be in touch to follow up at the right time.

People who have had the vaccine are reminded that they still need to follow national Government guidance to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.