Covid-19 Booster & Flu Update

• Following the recent JCVI changes we have now put the necessary legal documentation in place which enables us to implement these changes.

• As of today, Friday 3 December we can offer Covid-19 boosters to anyone aged 40 or over who had their second dose at least 12 weeks ago.

• Our priority remains vaccination of the highest JCVI groups and those aged 40-49 and 50-59, to ensure maximum uptake as quickly as possible in those who are most at risk. The timing and approach of opening the offer of vaccination to those under 40 will be communicated in due course once national modelling has enabled rollout options to be suitably evaluated.

• If you are aged 60 or over or are aged 16 or over with an underlying health condition your appointment will have been scheduled, even if you have not received your letter yet. To check when your appointment is please call the national Covid-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 or log on to the national online portal: https://www.nhsinform.scot/vaccinebooking

• If you are aged 50-59, an unpaid carer aged 16 or over, or aged 16 or over and are a household contact of an immunosuppressed person, you must book your Covid-19 booster and flu vaccinations through the online portal https://www.nhsinform.scot/vaccinebooking or by calling the national Covid-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013.

• If you are aged 40 to 49 years, you are only entitled for a Covdi-19 Booster vaccination and must book through the online portal https://www.nhsinform.scot/vaccinebooking or by calling the national Covid-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013.

• If you are aged 18 to 39 years, you cannot currently book a booster vaccination. More information will be available soon about how 18 to 39 year olds will get their vaccine.

• The online portal has appointments available throughout December in several Borders towns. If you cannot see any available appointments in your town please check other towns, especially larger towns such as Hawick, Galashiels, Kelso, Eyemouth and Peebles. If you are struggling to book an appointment online call the national Covid-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013.

• Currently we have a high number of available appointments at the following locations and dates (please note this is not an exhaustive list of clinic locations and dates, other appointments are available online. These are only the clinics which currently a large number of free appointments. When these appointments are fully booked they will no longer appear on the booking system):

• Hawick Town Hall – 8^th & 9^th December
• Selkirk Victoria Hall – 13^th, 14^th & 15^th December
• Border Events Centre, Kelso – 14^th, 15^th & 16th December
• Newtown Community Wing – 17^th, 18^th & 19^th December
• Eyemouth Community Centre – 21^st, 22^nd & 23^rd December and 28^th & 29^th December
• Galashiels Volunteer Hall – 22^nd, 23^rd & 24^th December and 29^th, 30^th & 31^st December
• Peebles Burgh Hall – 23^rd December and 27^th & 28^th December

• This week and next we are running school clinics offering second doses of the Pfizer vaccine to anyone aged 16 and 17, who received their first dose at least 12 weeks ago. We will also be continuing to offer first Pfizer vaccine doses to anyone aged 12-15 years using previously issued consent forms signed by a parent; although priority will be given to 16 and 17 year olds due their second dose.

• If someone aged 12-15 does not have a consent form they cannot be vaccinated through these school clinics, instead they will need to attend a drop-in clinic. Young people (aged 12-17) can also receive their first or (if eligible) second doses at our drop-in clinics.

• The JCVI have also advised that all 12 to 15 year olds should now be offered a second dose of vaccine at a minimum of 12 weeks after their first dose. However, this interval is subject to emerging epidemiological data and has the potential to be reduced to 8 weeks. We are currently exploring how to implement this advice as quickly and as effectively as possible.

• If a young person has tested positive for Covid-19 at least 12 weeks needs to have passed before they can receive a vaccine dose. Anyone over 18 who is eligible for a Covid-19 vaccination/booster but who has tested positive for Covid-19 must wait 28 days after a positive test to get their vaccination/booster.

• Individuals who are eligible for their flu vaccination should either have their appointment letters or be able to book through the online portal. If you are eligible and would like your flu vaccine earlier than your appointment date you can opt to get your free flu vaccination at one of our participating community pharmacies now. Vaccinations will be administered subject to availability. If the pharmacy team identify that you have an upcoming vaccination appointment they will discuss this with you and administer a flu vaccine based on clinical risk.