Dacorum residents aged 70 or older without COVID vaccination appointment urged to book now

People aged 70 and over, those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and front line health and social care staff who have not yet had their first COVID vaccination, are being urged to

contact the NHS now to arrange a jab.

The call is part of a drive to ensure that everyone who is most at risk from COVID-19 can get protected as quickly as possible.

Figures released on Thursday 11 February show that over a quarter of a million people in the top priority groups across Hertfordshire and west Essex have now had their first dose of

the vaccine.

This includes 168,317 (88.6%) of people aged 70 and over and 100,095 under 70s, including health and care workers and patients who are clinically extremely vulnerable.

Local NHS services want to make sure that everyone in one of the top four priority groups has been given the opportunity to be vaccinated by the middle of this month.

You can arrange your appointment online through the national booking service or by calling 119 between 7am and 11pm, seven days a week.

Alternatively, if a suitable and convenient slot is not available, you can also contact your own GP practice.

If you are 70 or over or on the Shielded Patient List, then it is likely that you have been contacted by the NHS already.

But, if you haven’t, this could be for a number of reasons, but is most likely to be because you are not registered with a GP or have recently moved, and they therefore do not have your contact details.

Dr Jane Halpin, Chief Executive of the Hertfordshire and West Essex Clinical Commissioning Groups said: “Thanks to the tireless efforts of my NHS colleagues, partner organisations and

thousands of wonderful volunteers, our local NHS vaccination programme is making excellent progress.

"Every care home for older people has received a visit and many thousands of people have been vaccinated, either at home if they are housebound, or at one of the many large vaccination centres, pharmacies and GP-run sites across Hertfordshire and west Essex.

“Until now, we have asked people to wait to be contacted. We are now urging everyone aged 70 and over who hasn’t yet had a vaccination to come forward and contact the NHS to book in their jab.

"If you have grandparents, relatives or friends over 70, please encourage them to book an appointment as soon as possible.

"We are very keen to ensure that nobody misses out. The vaccine is safe, simple, and will offer you and those around you crucial protection against this virus.”

Where can Dacorum residents receive their COVID-19 vaccine?

Through the national booking system the most local sites are:

> Mass Vaccination Centres: Hemel Hempstead Hospital or Robertson House (Stevenage)

> Pharmacy Vaccination Centre: Speedwell Pharmacy, Apsley.

You can also be vaccinated at Maxted Road, Hemel Hempstead if you book an appointment through your GP surgery. You cannot book an appointment here through the NHS website.

As well as getting access to COVID-19 vaccines, being registered with a GP also means you are invited to important health checks such as for cancer or heart disease, and can access care easier when you need it. For more information on registering with a GP click here.

GP teams are also contacting their clinically extremely vulnerable patients, who have been asked to shield, to ensure they have been offered the vaccine.

Anyone who has been advised to ‘shield’, should receive an invitation to have their jab from their local family doctor as well as an invitation from the national booking service.

People who are housebound and cannot get to a vaccination centre should contact their GP practice and arrangements will be made for them to have a vaccination at home.

The majority of housebound people have now been vaccinated across Hertfordshire and west Essex and the aim is to reach all remaining patients in this group in the coming days.

Anyone in Hertfordshire who has booked their COVID-19 vaccination but is unable to make their own transport arrangements can get help through a service that has been put in place by the East of England Ambulance Service, Hertfordshire County Council and local NHS clinical commissioning groups.

People can call 0300 790 6254 (Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm) to ask for support to get to their appointment. However, people should only call this number once they have made their vaccination appointment. The service operates seven days a week.

For more information about the vaccine, please visit the NHS website.

Read: These are the vaccination sites and services in Dacorum and Hertfordshire