

Accessible information in alternative formats
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine leaflets | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot)
Language Line is available at all vaccination appointments. This is a telephone-based interpretation service which gives staff access to expert interpreters, on the telephone, in 60-90 seconds, for over 170 different languages.
Also available:
- Portable hearing loops
- A quiet space/room
- All sites are wheelchair accessible
- All sites have access to language line
Accessible Information in Alternative Formats
Getting your COVID-19 Vaccination – English
Getting your COVID-19 Vaccination – Portuguese
Getting your COVID-19 Vaccination – Lithuanian
Getting your COVID-19 Vaccination – Polish
Getting your COVID-19 Vaccination – Romanian
Getting your COVID-19 Vaccination – Russian
British Sign Language (BSL)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine | Translations (nhsinform.scot)
Audio
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine | Translations (nhsinform.scot)
Easy Read Guide
Download our easy to read guide
Appointments
How do I book an appointment?
What should I do when I receive the letter and can't attend my appointment or my appointment letter is late?
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 or call 0800 030 8013 to rearrange.
Will the main NHS Grampian switchboard be able to direct my call to the booking number or make my COVID-19 Booster appointment?
Should I contact my local GP practice for my appointment?
Where will my appointment be?
I have mobility issues; will I be able to access the clinic?
Accessibility at my vaccination appointment
Also available:
- Portable hearing loops
- A quiet space/room
- All sites are wheelchair accessible
- All sites have access to language line
Should I wear a face covering?
Yes –face coverings will be provided at the clinics.
When should I arrive for my appointment?
Please arrive on time for your appointment and not too early, so if you arrive too early for your appointment you may be asked to queue outside.
If you are attending for a walk in vaccination you may have to wait a short while. Staff will be on hand to manage the queue.
Is there car parking available at clinic locations?
Can I bring someone with me to my appointment?
The Vaccine
Can I request a specific vaccine?
What if I’m ill when I’m due to receive my vaccination?
If you or a member of your household displays any symptoms of COVID-19 such as a new continuous cough, fever of over 37.8°C or loss of sense of taste or smell, please do not attend this appointment. Instead isolate according to current Scottish Government guidance and rearrange the appointment for 4 weeks after the date you were tested to get any dose of the vaccine. You should do this even if you have no symptoms.
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
I’ve already had COVID-19, do I need to get further vaccinations?
Yes. Even if you’ve already had COVID-19, you could still get it again. Further doses of the vaccination will reduce your risk of getting COVD-19 again and can reduce how serious the symptoms will be.
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.
Are there any side effects to the vaccine?
Some people may experience side effects after the vaccine. These are usually mild and may include:
- 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.
Check the post vaccination information leaflet you were given at your appointment for more information, including how to report adverse events.
If you feel uncomfortable, take Paracetamol. Make sure you take Paracetamol as directed on the label or leaflet.
Should I tell someone if I’m having side effects?
As with all vaccines, you can report suspected side effects through the Yellow Card Scheme. You can report side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines online at Yellow Card.
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.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and the COVID-19 vaccine
Pregnant women should now be offered vaccination at the same time as non-pregnant women, based on their age and clinical risk group. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the preferred vaccines for pregnant women of any age, because of more extensive experience of their use in pregnancy.
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
Record of Vaccination
How do I get a record of my vaccinations?
My vaccination record is incorrect
You do not need middle name(s) for status reports or international travel. If your address on your status is out of date you can still use it for international travel, providing your name and date of birth are correct
I received one dose of a coronavirus vaccine internationally (outside of the Common Travel Area), and one in Scotland. How do I get a record of my vaccination?
- downloading a PDF online
- phoning the COVID Status Helpline
You’ll need to request proof of vaccination for your other dose from the international country you were vaccinated in.
NHS Scotland are working towards a technical solution for this and they’ll update you soon.
This is a temporary process and NHS Scotland are working with colleagues in some international countries to create a system that will allow them to connect your information
I am a Scottish resident but I received one of my coronavirus vaccines elsewhere in the Common Travel Area (other parts of the UK and Ireland, including Channel Islands and Isle of Man) How do I get a record of this vaccination?
I received both doses of a coronavirus vaccine internationally. How do I get a record of my vaccination?
It's important not to contact the NHS or your GP practice for a vaccination.
The public have an important part to play:
- Please get your vaccinations and booster
- Please don’t contact your GP to book your appointment
- Please attend any booked appointments; and
- Please continue to follow all the guidance to control the virus and save lives.
Contact
National Call Centre
The centre is open from 8.00am to 8.00pm each day.
NHS Inform have set up a free helpline, 0800 030 8013, to help with:
- Book or amend an appointment
- Any general advice on coronavirus or the coronavirus vaccine
If you need help with your COVID vaccination status, please call 0808 196 8565 between 10am and 6pm.