COVID Vaccination Updates

COVID VACCINE UPDATE
We hope that all of you have had a good Christmas.
Further to our post on 23rd December, we would like to provide a further update about the corona virus vaccination.
As you might be aware, the only vaccine that is approved and available in the UK as of yet is the Pfizer vaccine. Due to the specifics involving storage, transportation and availability, the vaccine is not being supplied to individual practices. Instead 'vaccination hubs' are being created to cater to the needs to a number of local practices.
** Constable country surgery along with Hadleigh surgery have applied to be approved as a local 'vaccination hub' and is awaiting local health body clearance. We do not have the specifics about the potential start date as yet but it could be sometime next month. We will update you as soon as we know.
The vaccination has to done according to age range of the patients and the first batch has to be compulsorily administered specifically to those over 80 years only. ​This is a government directive.
** At this point, we need your help to communicate this information to relatives, friends and neighbours in the over 80 years cohort who do not have access to social media, by letting them know that we will be calling them in early January about the next steps in the process. If a local hub is approved, they might have to prepared to attend 2 appointments 3 weeks apart at a relatively short notice.
** We understand that you may have further question about this and will try to keep you posted via social media regularly. At this point, the reception or other staff at the surgery do not have any more information than the above and we will be much obliged if you DO NOT contact the surgery at this stage.

COVID VACCINATION UPDATE:
We are aware that many of you are keen to find out more about the Covid vaccination program.
As you may be aware, the vaccine is effective but needs careful handling to make sure it does not loose its potency when being transported. The vaccine is normally stored at minus 70 degrees and has a shelf life of 3-4 days once it is removed from that setting. And for it to be effective, each person requires 2 doses 3 weeks apart.
As the supply of the vaccine in Suffolk is limited, 1000 doses are sent to each vaccination hub in bulk one week at a time. Also, each vaccination hub has been told that they will be informed of their date of delivery only 10 days in advance.
As a practice, we are aware that we have a large population who necessarily can't travel far and would like to have their vaccinations done locally. We are working hard to find a way to do this. If for some reason this does not work out then patients may have to travel to vaccinating hubs in Ipswich for the same.
The vaccination has to done according to age range of the patients and the first batch has to be compulsorily administered specifically to those over 80 years only. ​This is a government directive.
** At this point, we need your help to communicate this information to relatives, friends and neighbours in the over 80 years cohort who do not have access to social media, by letting them know that we will be calling them in early January about the next steps in the process. If a local hub is approved, they might have to prepared to attend 2 appointments 3 weeks apart at a relatively short notice.
** We understand that you may have further question about this and will try to keep you posted via social media regularly. At this point, the reception or other staff at the surgery do not have any more information than the above and we will be much obliged if you DO NOT contact the surgery at this stage.
We know this year past year has been challenging for all of us and we thank you for your support and understanding so far. We request that you please be patient with us for a little while longer while we work hard to the role out of the covid vaccination. The program requires a lot of planning in order for us all to deliver safely and efficiently while we continue to deliver our other services with as minimal disruption as possible.
We hope that you continue to look after yourself and we will be in touch with you soon about the program again.