Please follow the contact details information provided in the appointment letter or reschedule online at www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/invitations-and-appointments/rearrange-or-opt-out-of-your-coronavirus-vaccination-appointment.

No. Do not call your GP as they will not be able to make an appointment for you or provide your vaccine certificate and you may also prevent other urgent calls being able to get through. Please phone the number on your appointment  letter if you need to make any changes.

You can request a printed copy of your vaccination status online at https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/after-your-vaccine/get-a-record-of-your-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-status or by phoning the COVID-19 Status Helpline on 0808 196 8565. The helpline is open every day from 10.00am to 6.00pm.

Yes. It is not known whether having the vaccine stops you spreading the virus to others, so it is important that we all continue to follow the latest government advice. After you get the vaccine, it is still important to follow FACTS.

FACTS:

F – Face coverings in enclosed spaces. Shops, public transport or anywhere else inside that physical distancing might be more difficult.
A – Avoid all crowded places. Indoors and outdoors.
C – Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
T – Two metre distancing remains the overall advice.
S – Self isolate and book a test if you have any of the symptoms of COVID-19

For further information on Covid-19 Symptoms and what to do visit- Coronavirus (COVID-19) self-help guide | NHS inform

Yes, there are a number of walk-in centres across Grampian where you can just turn up for a first dose if you have not already had.  You can only attend a walk in for a second dose if it has been at least 8 weeks since your first dose.  Details of walk-centres are here.

You can get advice about travel by contacting THInC on 01467 536111 or email travel@thinc-hub.org.  The venue where you will have your vaccination is safe. All COVID-19 safety measures are in place.  Staff are wearing appropriate PPE.  Physical distancing controls are in place.  You should wear a mask at all times during your journey and your appointment.

If you want to find out about public transport go to the Traveline Scotland website on www.travelinescotland.com or call them on 0871 200 2233. You can check the latest Stagecoach timetables at www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/national/covid-temporary-timetables

If you are struggling to work out how to get to your appointment you can call THInC on 01467 536111 or email travel@thinc-hub.org for advice

If you are driving to the appointment, you will have to wait 15 minutes after you have had your vaccination before you can drive.

Please attend on your own unless you require the assistance of a carer. A carer may attend the appointment with you for support and both you and your carer should wear a face covering. You can also bring young children with you if you don’t have childcare options.

We are currently awaiting more detail on the autumn COVID-19 vaccination booster programme and will update this section accordingly.  Interim JCVI advice has been announced meantime that suggests it will be offered to priority groups. 

If you have self-registered on the online portal, you will receive your appointment details by SMS or email, depending on your preference.  For your second dose, you will receive a letter notifying you of your appointment venue date and time. It is important not to contact the NHS or your GP Practice as they are unable to arrange your appointment.

For more information download:
COVID-19 Letter
COVID_19 Leaflet

The JCVI has updated the guidance on use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca (AZ) COVID-19 vaccine.  This is in light of recent reports of a very rare condition involving blood clots and unusual bleeding after vaccination. This is being carefully reviewed but the risk factors for this condition are not yet clear.  Although this condition remains extremely rare, there appears to be a higher risk in people who have had the first dose of the AZ vaccine.  Around four people develop this condition for every million doses of AZ vaccine doses given. This is seen slightly more often in younger people and tends to occur between four days and two weeks following vaccination.  Updated information is available on the national NHS Inform website regarding potential side effects of the vaccine, including a leaflet specifically explaining the blood clot risk in more detail – https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/the-vaccines/side-effects-of-the-coronavirus-vaccines.

It must be stressed that this condition can also occur naturally, and clotting problems are a common complication of COVID-19 infection.  It must also be stressed that the JCVI, the MHRA and the European Medicines Agency have all concluded the benefits of vaccination continue to significantly outweigh the risks.

The JCVI now advise it is preferable for people under 40 to have a vaccine other than AZ.  Individuals can still choose to have the AZ vaccine after consideration of the risks and benefits.  The JCVI also state that, if you have already had your first dose of AZ without suffering any serious side effects, you should complete the course, regardless of your age.

• Aberdeen City – 0800 030 4713
• Aberdeenshire – 0330 128 9919
• Moray – 0345 337 9899

Please contact the telephone number provided in your appointment letter to rearrange your appointment if any of the following apply: –

• you have had COVID-19 infection less than 4 weeks prior to your appointment
• you are participating in a clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine
• you have had any other vaccination in the 7 days before your appointment,
• you have been advised to self-isolate or if you are awaiting the result of a COVID-19 test.

The purpose of your appointment is to attend for a COVID-19 vaccination. Please do not ask the vaccinators about other health concerns.

For further information on COVID-19 symptoms and how to book a test visit NHS Inform Coronavirus (COVID-19): General advice | NHS inform

If you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 – even if you have no symptoms – you should wait until four weeks after the date you were tested to get the vaccine.  If your appointment falls in the isolation period, then follow the instructions on your appointment letter to rearrange.

If you are taking specific medication and would like to understand if you can have a vaccine while taking it, please contact the National Vaccine Helpline on 0800 030 8013 (available 8am–8pm, 7 days a week). Please note this is a general information line and it will not be possible to book or change your vaccination appointments via this helpline.

The vaccine should not be given to:

• People who have had a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to a previous dose of this COVID-19 vaccine
• Those who have had a confirmed anaphylactic reaction to any of the ingredients of the vaccine.

The vaccinator will check that it is safe for you to have the vaccine at your appointment. If you are unsure about anything, or have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, call 0800 030 8013 (available 8am–8pm, 7 days a week). Please note this is a general information line and it will not be possible to book or change your vaccination appointments via this helpline.

If you are currently involved in or previously took part in a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trial

If you are part of a COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial, or took part previously please speak to the Trial Clinical Lead and ask if you still require a COVID-19 vaccination.

If you are informed that you do not require to have the vaccine, please cancel your appointment.

• tenderness, swelling and/or redness at the injection site
• headache, muscle ache
• feeling tired
• fever (temperature above 37.8°C).

A less common side effect is swelling of the glands. This starts a few days after the vaccine and may last for up to two weeks. This is to be expected and is a sign of the immune system responding to the vaccine.

If you feel uncomfortable, take Paracetamol. Make sure you take Paracetamol as directed on the label or leaflet.

It is important to get two doses of the vaccine, even if you have mild side effects after the first dose.

You do not need to self-isolate or book a COVID-19 test unless you have other COVID-19 symptoms or:

• you have been told by NHS Test and Protect that you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
• you live with someone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19
• you live with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19.

If the fever starts more than 48 hours after the vaccination or lasts longer than 48 hours, you should self-isolate and book a COVID-19 test. This can be done at NHS Inform.

You can also call the Yellow Card hotline on 0800 731 6789.  This hotline is available Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.

If you have any concerns about your health please contact your GP, or NHS 24 on 111.

Pregnant women who commenced vaccination with AstraZeneca vaccine, however, are advised to complete with the same vaccine. Clinicians (such as obstetricians, mid-wives, GPs or other healthcare professionals authorised to offer COVID-19 vaccination) should discuss the risks and benefits of vaccination with the woman, who should be told about the limited evidence of safety for the vaccine in pregnancy.

For the latest guidance on pregnancy, breastfeeding and the COVID-19 vaccine visit:

NHS Inform
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine | NHS inform

NHS Grampian advise not to phone you GP, but instead read the following carefully.

Patients who are prescribed blood thinning medication including warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, rivarovxaban, edoxaban and apixiban should not be concerned about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and should attend their appointment to receive this important immunisation.

There is no need to contact your general practice for advice regarding blood thinning medication prior to attending for COVID-19 immunisation.

Vaccinators will ask a question related to this prior to administering an injection.

Patients on blood thinning medication may bruise more readily, the vaccinator will simply apply pressure after immunisation to the injection site for a bit longer than average. Reassuringly, the needle the COVID-19 vaccine is given with is very small and causes minimal trauma.

If the individual receives medication/treatment to reduce bleeding, for example treatment for haemophilia, intramuscular vaccination can be scheduled shortly after such medication/treatment is administered.

Please call the number on your letter to rearrange your appointment if required.

The online carers’ registration portal is now closed, but anyone who has not received a first coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination appointment, has missed their first dose for any reason or is new to Scotland is being invited to self-register for an appointment online at www.nhsinform.scot/vaccineregistration or by telephoning the national helpline on 0800 030 8013.