The NHS will begin texting people today inviting them to book
their life saving Covid jab, making it quicker and more
convenient to get an appointment.
Almost 400,000 people aged 55 and over and 40,000 unpaid carers
will be the first to get a text alert inviting them to book a
slot as part of the latest development in the NHS vaccination
programme, the biggest in NHS history.
The messages will include a web link for those eligible to click
and reserve an appointment at one of more than 300 large-scale
vaccination centres or pharmacies across England.
Reminders will be sent 2-3 weeks after the original alert to
encourage people to get their vaccine if they have not taken up
the offer.
Texts will arrive in advance of the standard letter, meaning if
the trial is successful the solution could enable the NHS to
react faster to changing vaccine supplies and fill appointments
quickly.
NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis, NHS
medical director, said: “Thanks to careful planning and the huge
efforts of NHS staff we have vaccinated more than 18 million
people in England, which is a remarkable achievement.
“The NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in health service
history, continues to go from strength to strength and we are now
building on that momentum by trialling a quick and easy service
that will hopefully make it more convenient for people to book
their life saving jab.
“I had my vaccine this week – it was simple, quick and painless –
and I would encourage others who have not yet taken up the offer
to come forward and receive the jab.”
Some GP-led and hospital vaccination services, which operate
their own booking systems, are already using texts for invites.
Introducing them to the national booking service for vaccine
centres and pharmacy-led services will help increase uptake of
the life-saving jab, particularly as the NHS moves on to younger
groups.
Over the weekend and yesterday more than 1.7 million people aged
56 and over were invited to book their vaccine, as the biggest
programme in health service history, continues to gather pace.
Saturday was the busiest day for the booking service with more
than half a million appointments confirmed. Almost nine out of 10
people aged 65 and over already taking up the offer of their
first dose.
People will continue to receive letters inviting them to book an
appointment as well as a text alert, to ensure that people who
don’t have a number registered or need information in different
languages or formats don’t miss out.
People should not receive a text message or a letter from the NHS
if they have already been vaccinated and this has been recorded.
If people cannot or would prefer not to travel to a Vaccination
Centre or pharmacy-led site, they can choose to wait to be
invited by a local GP-led service.
In some cases text messages have been used by scammers to try to
collect personal details from people, get them to ring premium
rate numbers or enter their banking details.
The text message will be sent using the Government’s secure
Notify service and will show as being sent from ‘NHSvaccine’.
The NHS will never ask for payment or banking details.
Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and NHS medical director for primary care,
said: “We know that some people are rightly worried about scams
going around, but if the message comes from ‘NHSvaccine’ and
links to the NHS.uk website you can be sure that it’s the right
invite.
“For any messages you might get about the vaccine, always
remember that the NHS will never ask you for your bank account or
card details, your PIN or banking password.
“The NHS will also never arrive unannounced at your home to
administer the vaccine, or ask you to prove your identity by
sending copies of personal documents such as your passport,
driving licence, bills or pay slips.”
Vaccinations are now being administered at more than 1,600 sites
across the country, including mosques, museums and rugby grounds,
with the distribution of centres meaning 98% of the country lives
within 10 miles of at least one vaccination service.
Appointments are staggered to allow for social distancing and
people are being asked not to turn up early to avoid creating
queues.
Everyone receives a health status check and a pre-vaccination
assessment before they receive their vaccine dose.
NHS teams are also visiting those who are housebound and cannot
travel to a vaccination service.
The NHS made history when Maggie Keenan became the first person
in the world to be protected against coronavirus outside of a
clinical trial when she received the Pfizer vaccine at Coventry
Hospital on December 8.
The NHS was also the first health system to deliver the new
Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine when Brian Pinker, 82, was
vaccinated on January 4.
