Last updated 08/02/2021

Roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme

The NHS is working extremely hard to deliver the COVID-19 vaccination to the most vulnerable local people and we are making good progress. However, it’s important to remember that this is the biggest vaccination programme that the NHS has ever undertaken and that this has been a phased rollout at speed. It will take time to get to everyone.

When it is your turn to receive the vaccine, you will receive an invitation. It's important not to contact the NHS for a vaccination before then. For most people, this will be a letter, either from their GP or the national NHS. This letter will include all the information you will need to book appointments, including your NHS number.

More information on the vaccination programme is available here.

COVID-19 Vaccination FAQs are available here. 

Book or manage your coronavirus vaccination

Health and social care workers

The NHS is working with your employer to signpost you to the most appropriate venue for your vaccination to take place. Please contact your employer for details and not your local GP.

Stay Alert

We can all help control the virus if we all stay alert. This means you must:

• Stay at home as much as possible
• Work from home if you can
• Limit contact with other people
• Wash you hands regularly
• Wear a facemask in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult
• Stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with

For information on what you can and can't do during lockdown, visit the government's Stay at Home guidance page.

Coronavirus Symptoms

If you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), get a test as soon as possible. Stay home until you get the result.

Main symptoms:

• High temperature - this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• New, continuous cough - this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste - this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms.

What to do if you have symptoms

If you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:

1. Get a test to check if you have coronavirus as soon as possible.
2. You and anyone you live with should stay at home and not have visitors until you get your test result - only leave you home to have a test.

For more information about the symptoms of coronavirus, visit the government's NHS website.

Self-isolation

How long you need to self-isolate for depends if:

• You've tested positive
• Someone you live with has tested positive
• Someone in your support bubble has tested positive
• You've been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace

Information about self-isolation can be found on the government's NHS website.

Download the NHS COVID-19 app

The free NHS COVID-19 app is a vital part of the NHS Test and Trace system in England. It is the fastest way to see if you're at risk from coronavirus. The faster you know, the quicker you can alert and protect your loved ones and community. More information about the app and links to download it.

GOV.UK WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Service

A new GOV.UK WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Service has now been launched. The purpose of this product is to combat the spread of misinformation propagated through WhatsApp on an Official Government channel. To use the service, members of the public simply add +44 7860 064422 to their contacts and send a WhatsApp message saying “Hi”. Please promote this service through your channels.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Taking care of your mind as well as your body is really important if you are staying at home because of coronavirus.

You may feel worried or anxious about your finances, your health or those close to you. Perhaps you feel bored, frustrated or lonely. It's important to remember that it's OK to feel this way and that everyone reacts differently.

Remember, for most of us, these feelings will pass. Staying at home may be difficult, but you're helping to protect yourself and others by doing it.

There are things you can do now to help you keep on top of your mental wellbeing and cope with how you may feel if you're staying at home. Make sure you get further support if you feel you need it.

More information, support and tips are available on the government's NHS website.

Additional links for help and support:

• Mind: Coronavirus and your wellbeing
• Public Health England: Guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus
• York Haven: Helpline for over 16s
• Young Minds: Talking to your child about coronavirus

Contacting the CCG

NHS Vale of York CCG is following the national guidance to enable staff to work from home and limit contact with others. This means that staff are no longer routinely office based. It is still possible to get in contact with the CCG via the regular channels.

• Address: NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
• Telephone: 01904 555 870
• Email: valeofyork.contactus@nhs.net

If your correspondence relates to a concern or complaint, this should be directed to voyccg.patientrelations@nhs.net.  Alternatively you could speak to a member of staff by calling 01904 555 999 or 07702 657 562 who will be pleased to assist.

General enquiries can be directed to valeofyork.contactus@nhs.net

Patient Transport Service

In response to increasing system pressures, the Patient Transport Service is implementing an interim change to booking processes. Requests for transport to and from outpatient appointments can now only be booked up to three working days prior to the scheduled appointment.

Journeys for priority patients (renal and oncology) and on-day discharges can continue to be booked at any time. More information is available in this briefing note.

Government translated the guidance for self-isolation and social distancing

Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK, including children, and protecting older people and vulnerable people is available in the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Gujarati, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Urdu, 

• Covid-19 Stay at Home Guidance
• Covid-19 Guidance on Social Distancing and for Vulnerable People

Guidance for Health Professionals

Please see our dedicated Covid-19 page on RSS.

Post-COVID Information for Primary Care.

Supplementary Privacy Notice

To see how we may use your information to protect you and others during the Covid-19 pandemic, please see this supplementary privacy notice.

Our full privacy notice can be accessed here.

More Information and Resources

Dr Nigel Wells, Clinical Chair at NHS Vale of York CCG - Open letter to GP patients (25/03/20)

NHS: Latest information and advice about coronavirus

Department of Health and Social Care: Coronavirus action plan

NHS Vale of York CCG: Antibody testing for Covid-19 (03/06/20)

NHS England: Caring for people at highest clinical risk during Covid-19 (01/06/20)

York Teaching Hospital: Going to the hospital because you are poorly with symptoms of Coronavirus (Easy Read) (15/04/20)

York Teaching Hospital: Covid-19 – People with Learning Disabilities and their carers (FAQ) (15/04/20)

RCPCH: Advice for parents when your child is unwell or injured during coronavirus (14/04/20)

South Asian Health Foundation: Resources about coronavirus (06/01/21)

NHS: How to order repeat prescriptions online (06/01/21)

Public Health England: Guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection (18/12/20)

NRS Wheelchair Service: Covid-19 statement (26/03/20)

RCOG: Guidance for pregnant women (14/10/20)

Mencap: Easy-read guide to the coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine (06/01/21)

The Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership: Understanding our response to COVID-19 (16/10/20)

Sight for Surrey: Correct use of PPE (BSL) (26/10/2020)

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