CORONAVIRUS
Lewisham Primary Care resources: All about the COVID-19 Vaccine & Your guide to the COVID-19 vaccine
Advice on the surgery
How will I see a clinician?
How do I contact the surgery?
If you would like to book an appointment or require other services provided by the surgery, please do not attend the practice. Instead please stay home and call 020 8694 1331 or email the practice lewccg.g85711-general@nhs.net.
How do I get my repeat prescriptions?
If you are a registered patient you may request your prescription by emailing or calling the surgery.
How can I get a fit / sick note for work?
Information on face coverings
We understand that some patients will be anxious about wearing a mask especially those with certain medical conditions.
GP’s are not able to provide exemption letters for patients who believe they should be exempt from wearing a face covering.
The current guidance suggests there is no requirement for the public to provide medical evidence for exemption from wearing face masks therefore a self-declaration should be sufficient.
Please go to the GOV.UK link
here for more information on the use of face coverings. You can also find exemption card templates
here.
For specific requirements in reference to public transport, shops or other areas where masks are required please contact those specific companies for further information
General COVID-19 Advice
Advice from NHS England & Goverment
The government have put in place measures to keep people safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19, details of which can be found at Gov.uk/coronavirus.
Advice on how to manage "mild" symptoms
If you are experiencing "mild" symptoms of coronavirus please make sure you:
When to use the NHS 111 service
Advice for diabetics
For people living with diabetes and their families, Diabetes UK have provided specialist advice on their website. If you are concerned about your condition during this time, please contact the practice.
Guidance on shielding
Advice for looking after your mental health
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak means that life is changing for all of us for a while. It may cause you to feel anxious, stressed, worried, sad, bored, lonely or frustrated.
Domestic violence
The household isolation instruction as a result of coronavirus does not apply if you need to leave your home to escape domestic abuse.
Friends, family, neighbours and community members can be a vital lifeline to those living with domestic abuse. If you are worried that someone you know may be a victim of domestic abuse, reassure them that the police and support services are still there to help and direct them to sources of support.
Information on face coverings
We understand that some patients will be anxious about wearing a mask especially those with certain medical conditions.
GP’s are not able to provide exemption letters for patients who believe they should be exempt from wearing a face covering.
The current guidance suggests there is no requirement for the public to provide medical evidence for exemption from wearing face masks therefore a self-declaration should be sufficient.
Please go to the GOV.UK link
here for more information on the use of face coverings. You can also find exemption card templates
here.
For specific requirements in reference to public transport, shops or other areas where masks are required please contact those specific companies for further information.
Community support
Need help or support
If you or someone you care for need support during these unprecedented times, please find local support here.
COVID-19 Vaccines
Who can get the vaccine?
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64 or over -
frontline health or social care worker -
a carer (eligible for a Carer’s Allowance) -
clinically extremely vulnerable (high risk)
Why can't everyone get a COVID-19 vaccine now?
Read the latest JCVI advice on priority groups for the COVID-19 vaccination on GOV.UK.
When you get an appointment please attend, and only turn up five minutes before your slot to avoid waiting a long time or standing in queues. Everyone who has an appointment will get the vaccine.
How safe are the COVID-19 vaccines?
Any coronavirus vaccine that is approved must go through all the clinical trials and safety checks all other licensed medicines go through. The UK has some of the highest safety standards in the world.
Other vaccines are being developed but they will only be available on the NHS once they have been thoroughly tested to make sure they are safe and effective.
So far, thousands of people around the world have been given a COVID-19 vaccine and reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare. No long-term complications have been reported.
How effective are the COVID-19 vaccines?
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continue to follow social distancing guidance -
wear something that covers your nose and mouth in places where it’s hard to stay away from other people
Advice if you're of childbearing age, pregnant or breastfeeding
Women should discuss the benefits and risks of having the vaccine with your healthcare professional and reach a joint decision based on individual circumstances. Women who are breastfeeding can also be given the vaccine.
Vaccine myths
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No, this isn‘t possible because the vaccines do not include live COVID-19 virus.
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None of the vaccines alter your DNA
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Two of the vaccines - the Pfizer mRNA vaccine and the Moderna vaccine - use a new technology, which is why this myth sometimes comes up. This vaccine works by giving your cells a set of instructions for how to make a new bit of the COVID-19 virus, called the spike protein.
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Your immune system then spots the spike protein as something foreign in the body and starts an immune response against it. mRNA never enters the nucleus, where your own DNA is.
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A great thing about mRNA vaccines is that they don’t contain any live parts of COVID-19 and can be produced quickly in a lab.
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Unfortunately, re-infection with COVID-19 is possible. So, if you’ve had COVID-19 and are offered the vaccine, doctors still recommend you to take it. We still don’t know how long you are protected against COVID-19 after having been sick and recovered from the infection. This ‘natural immunity’ is likely to vary between people.
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Scientists are monitoring this closely and in time we will know more about how long both natural and vaccine mediated immunity lasts.
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Like any vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine can cause side effects, but most are mild and short-term. The most common side effects include:
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A painful or tender arm for a couple of days, where the vaccine was injected -
Feeling tired -
Having a headache -
Some muscle aches
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These side effects don’t usually last more than a few days to a week. If you need to, you can take a painkiller such as paracetamol to relieve any side effects.
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Between 1 and 3 in 10 people get a slight fever after vaccination. Keep in mind that a high fever could mean you have another infection or have COVID-19 that you caught before or around the time of the vaccination, before the vaccine had time to kick in. Some people have more severe side effects that affect their ability to do normal daily activities. If you feel unwell or are worried, it is a good idea to speak to a healthcare professional about it.