Covid-19 Booster Vaccine for Carers
The Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended that people who are in receipt of a Carer’s Allowance, or who are the main Carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the Carer falls ill, should be eligible for vaccination.
This means that the roll out of the COVID-19 booster vaccinations includes unpaid Carers prioritised in cohort 6.
Unpaid Carers who were identified during the first phase of the vaccination roll out (identified through entitlement to Carer’s Allowance, GP records, or receiving support from a Local Authority and/or Carer Support Organisation), will be called by the NHS Call and Recall service for booster vaccinations.
How and when will I be contacted?
The NHS will issue invitations directly to you if you are an eligible Carer via text message and/or email and/or letter. It must be 182 days (6 months) since your second covid-19 vaccination. You may also receive reminders.
Unpaid carers identified through having a Carer’s flag on their GP record will be contacted by your GP practice who are delivering the vaccination programme through the local Primary Care Network.
If you have become an unpaid Carer since spring 2020, contact your GP practice and ask that they record your Carer status on your records. Ensure that you register with Birmingham Carers Hub too for a whole range of information, advice and support.
When you are contacted, it is up to you to book the appointment. To book the appointment as quickly as possible, you should find out what your NHS number is.
The NHS will never ask you to pay for a vaccination, so be wary of any scams operating which ask you to pay for a vaccine.
Do I need ID to prove I’m a Carer at the vaccine centre?
When you go and get your vaccine, take along with you the confirmation of your appointment, photo ID (if you have it) to prove your identity (such as your name), and your NHS number if you have it. You do not need to provide proof you are a Carer, but if you do have something like a letter from the DWP, or something similar from your local council, you may want to take that with you. You don’t need to delay booking an appointment, or cancel your appointment if you don’t have these things.
Once you receive your text/email /letter inviting you to receive your covid-19 booster, show this communication to your GP practice and ask them to highlight you as a Carer on your GP record. Doing this will automatically identify you for any future vaccinations, should they be advised. It may also help you access other sources of support through your GP.
Can I have the vaccine at the same time as the person I care for?
There will need to be at least six months between when you received your second dose and receiving your booster vaccine. If it has been six months since your second dose and you’d like to have the booster at the same time as the person you care for (it is important that it has also been six months since the person you cared for had their second dose and that their booster vaccination is not unduly delayed) then please let your GP or the vaccination centre know.
Can I have the Coronavirus vaccine booster at the same time as the flu vaccine?
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has also advised that the flu and Coronavirus vaccines can be given at the same time.
This will depend on the availability of the vaccines. The NHS is advising that people have the booster and flu vaccines when they are invited to do so – rather than wait for the possibility of getting them at the same time – so that neither are unnecessarily delayed.
What if I am not contacted soon and think I am eligible?
If you think you’re an unpaid carer, you should contact your GP. This will help you get other vaccinations and support that you might need.
Anyone over the age of 50 or with an underlying health condition which makes them clinically vulnerable to Coronavirus will be offered a booster vaccine, whether or not they are a Carer.
Further information about the booster vaccine is available in this leaflet.
I am a young carer– am I eligible?
Young carers aged 16 and 17 are eligible for the booster vaccine within the same criteria. However, only one of the vaccines is approved for use for 16- and 17-year-olds, and it is up to the vaccine centre to ensure you get the right one. If you are an eligible unpaid carer aged 16 or 17, your GP will contact you. If you are not sure if your GP knows you are a carer, you should contact them. If you need help you can contact your GP or local young carer services, such as Spurgeons.
Children aged 12-15 can now access Coronavirus vaccinations in line with JCVI guidance released on 3 September 2021. Young carers can now access vaccinations as part of this approach.
