Patients aged 12 to 15
Household contacts aged 12 to 15 who live with people who are severely immunosuppressed are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. You do not need to boo an appointment, you can attend one of our ‘drop-in’ clinics. See the CCG website for dates, times and location of the drop in clinics. You will need to provide proof of your home address which should match the address that you are registered with at your GP Practice. More information about the vaccine for this age group can be found by downloading this useful leaflet:
Patients over the age of 16
Adult contacts in immunosuppressed households are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. This is because the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recently advised that adult contacts, over 16 years of age, living in immunosuppressed households should be offered COVID-19 vaccination. This aims to reduce the risk of infection to you by vaccinating those most likely to transmit to you, as even though you may have received your COVID-19 vaccination, you may have lower protection from the vaccine given that you are immunosuppressed.
The JCVI advice applies to adult household contacts who are 16 years and above with whom you “expect to share living accommodation on most days…. and therefore, for whom continuing close contact is unavoidable.”
Members of ‘bubbles’ that do not live with an immunosuppressed person for the majority of the week (frequent visitors and other non-carers who might visit the house often but not for the majority of the week, including overnight stays) are excluded from the definition.
The Government website outlines what is a valid proof of address for this purpose which includes and of the following:
- utility bill (gas, electric, satellite television, landline phone bill) issued within the last three months
- local authority council tax bill for the current council tax year
- current UK driving licence (but only if not used for the name evidence)
- bank, building society or credit union statement or passbook dated within the last three months
- original mortgage statement from a recognised lender issued for the last full year
- solicitor’s letter within the last three months confirming recent house purchase or land registry confirmation of address
- council or housing association rent card or tenancy agreement for the current year
- benefit book or original notification letter from Benefits Agency (but not if used as proof of name)
- HMRC self-assessment letters or tax demand dated within the current financial year
- electoral register entry or NHS medical card or letter of confirmation from GP’s practice of registration with the surgery.
Note that any household contacts aged 16-17 years old will need to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has only been authorised for use in people aged 18 years and over.
If you believe that you are living in an immunosuppressed household and can provide the above evidence, please contact the surgery who will review your case and where indicated provide you with a letter to support this. You will need to take this letter along to the vaccination appointment with you.
For more information about the coronavirus vaccine, please visit www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination