Latest vaccine figures for Norfolk & Waveney
Nearly half of adults have had their first dose
Nearly half of adults in Norfolk and Waveney have now received their first dose of vaccine against COVID-19, newly released figures show.
According to data published today by NHS England and NHS Improvement 398,026 doses of vaccine had been given in Norfolk and Waveney. Some 384,186 people had received their first dose and 13,840 their second dose.
In the week to last Sunday, 45,454 doses of vaccine were given in Norfolk and Waveney (42,586 first doses and 2,868 second doses).
The figures show that 45% of adults in Norfolk and Waveney had received their first dose, compared to 38% of adults in England. This puts us fifth out of the 42 health and care systems in England.
The figures also show that:
97% of over 80s had received their first dose of vaccine
100% of over 75-79 year olds had received their first dose of vaccine
95% of over 70-74 year olds had received their first dose of vaccine
82% of over 65-69 year olds have received their first dose of vaccine
Early signs suggest the success of the vaccination programme is contributing to the welcome fall in people in hospital with coronavirus.
But it's still really important that once vaccinated people should continue to follow COVID-19 guidance, including social distancing guidance and, if you can, wear something that covers your nose and mouth in places where it's hard to stay away from other people.
Melanie Craig, Chief Executive of NHS Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said:
"We are really pleased with the progress of the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Norfolk and Waveney. Thank you to our fantastic NHS staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make this happen.
"We will not rest until everyone who is eligible for the vaccination in Norfolk and Waveney has been offered it and we encourage everyone who is offered the vaccine to take it. Vaccines are the best way of protecting you and your loved ones from this awful virus and are a key route out of this pandemic."
News of the latest figures comes as the CCG publishes an updated letter to local people about the vaccine programme.
The letter, which is aimed at patients over the age of 50, provides key information, advice and reassurance to patients, relatives and carers.
The letter covers:
How and when you will get an appointment for your vaccination
Where you will get your vaccination
Information about attending appointments
Information about emails and texts that claim to be from the NHS but are not
Information about the first and second vaccine doses
The letter can be found on CCG's website.
Norfolk and Waveney has this week launched a campaign to urge 'unknown' carers to register their contact details in order to get an appointment for vaccination. You can find out more about this here.
GP practices in Norfolk and Waveney continue to work incredibly hard to vaccinate priority groups and are currently focusing on cohort 6, those aged 16-64 with underlying health conditions. If you are in this group, please do not contact your GP directly, they will contact you as soon as it's your turn.
Patients in cohort 5, those aged 65-69 years old, cohort 7, those aged 60-64, and cohort 8, those aged 55-59 who have received a letter inviting them to book a vaccine appointment should do so through the national website www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or call 119.
GP practices will also be vaccinating these cohorts, so if you don't want to book an appointment via the national booking service, you should wait for your local GP practice to invite you for an appointment. Please do not contact your local GP practice or hospital; please wait to be invited.
Appointments are also available at a number of large scale vaccination centres in Norfolk and Waveney including: Castle Quarter Shopping Centre, Norwich; Connaught Hall, Attleborough; North Walsham Community Centre; Lowestoft old Law Courts, King's Lynn Corn Exchange, Harleston old Paddock Road Surgery and Norwich Community Hospital. They are also available at Hayden Chemist, Lowestoft.
Appointments for large scale vaccination centres are released in line with vaccine supply, so some sites will come and go, depending on when the patient accesses the system, so the local NHS is urging those who are eligible for an appointment to be patient and keep checking.