From 15th February 2021 unpaid Carers are included in the next phase of the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine and will begin to be called forward for their first jab.
On Monday 8th March, the official guidance “COVID-19 vaccine deployment programme: unpaid carers (JCVI priority cohort 6)” was published. For the purposes of vaccine eligibility, it includes Carers are ‘Those who are eligible for a carer’s allowance, or those who are the sole or primary carer of an elderly or disabled person who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality and therefore clinically vulnerable.’
IF YOU ARE A CARER, YOU CAN BOOK A VACCINATION APPOINTMENT HERE.
Eligible Carers will be identified in a number of ways including information held centrally about:
- Those in receipt of Carer’s Allowance
- Those identified as being a Carer on GP records
- Those registered with Carer organisations such as ours, working in partnership with local Councils.
You may therefore receive an invitation to book your vaccination very shortly. These invitations will be phased, with Carers receiving invites when there is enough supplies of vaccines at the time of booking. If you are eligible to receive Carer’s Allowance, you can book a vaccination appointment here. You can register with the Birmingham Carers Hub here.
We are working with local health partners to ensure that Carers can be identified and can be contacted to receive their vaccination. Please, therefore, be aware that you may receive a text asking you to book an appointment.
Please do not be alarmed but there are a number of ways in which you might be contacted. You may receive a letter (these are being sent to carers receiving Carer’s Allowance or who were registered as a carer with their GP), a text (carers registered with Birmingham Carers Hub), or a telephone call from your GP (this may not relate to your caring activity, but could be related to your age).
The NHS is strongly recommending that adults should get the Covid-19 vaccine as it is the best defence against the virus used alongside effective social distancing, wearing a mask and washing your hands. Getting vaccinated means you are protecting yourself and may also help to protect your family and the person you provide care for from the virus.
Find out the answers to your questions about the vaccine here. To watch the vaccine Q&A videos in five South Asian languages, just click here. If you would like to know what the procedure is like when you attend your vaccination appointment, watch this short video.
NHS Text Messages
From Tuesday 9 March 2021, the National Booking Service has begun carefully trialling a text message service for Covid-19 vaccination invitations and reminders, in addition to the letters that are currently sent to eligible people. You can trust your text message is genuine if it comes from ‘NHSvaccine’, includes a link to the NHS.uk website and gives you the option of phoning 119. If you’re still unsure whether the text is genuine, you can wait for your letter to arrive – if the message was authentic your letter should be delivered a few days after.
• Always remember that:
o The NHS will never ask you for your bank account or card details.
o The NHS will never ask you for your PIN or banking password.
o The NHS will never arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine.
o The NHS will never ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.
Here is a video clip explaining the process of receiving a text message and booking an appointment.
