Cumbria NHS trust responds to Prime Minister’s vaccine statement

Vaccine teams across north Cumbria are gearing up to deliver booster vaccines by the end of the year, but are urging people to be patient while plans are put in place.

Covid boosters are being delivered by primary care teams and through pharmacy sites bookable through the National Booking System.

Ed Tallis is the director of primary care for NHS North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who has overseen the vaccine programme for the area.

He said: “In north Cumbria, our vaccine delivery has been brilliant. We have very efficient teams who have worked exceptionally hard over the last year and we have had excellent take-up.

“The ambitious plan to speed up the offer of the booster will depend on everyone working together to support the programme. In particular, this means we are asking people to be patient and not to call their GPs about the booster, as they won’t be able to answer your queries.”

The vaccine is delivered by:

Practices calling in patients to clinics – please wait to be contacted.
Booking through the National Booking System and visiting a pharmacy site.
Some pharmacy sites may be able to accommodate walk-ins, but booked appointments will be prioritised.

Currently, the national booking system is only open to the over 30s, this will change on Wednesday, December 15 when it will be opened to the over 18s. You must have three months – 91 days – between your second dose and booster.

Ed added: “It will take time to offer the vaccine to everyone who becomes eligible and we will be working as hard as we can with the resources we have, to vaccinate as many people as quickly as we can. We ask that people are patient if they can’t get an appointment as quickly as they would like and that they show the teams and the volunteers supporting them kindness as we work to ensure the best protection possible for our community.”

The trust added:

Here in north Cumbria we have delivered considerably more than 600,000 vaccines, protecting more than 88% of our community (aged over 12) with 1sts and 83% with seconds and pushing on with the booster programme (https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map/vaccinations).

It will take time to offer the booster to everyone who is eligible – if you can’t get booked in please be patient and try later.

Do not call your GP practice about the booster – they will not be able to answer your queries and an increase in calls may prevent people with medical concerns being able to get through.