Covid-19 Vaccinations for Carers

Carers are one of the groups of people identified within Cohort 6 for priority vaccination.

All eligible carers will be contacted by the NHS when it’s their turn to get the vaccine and will be given the information they need to book a vaccination. We are currently working from lists of ‘known’ carers to do this.

Not all carers will be eligible at this stage.

Eligible carers are those that care for someone who is more at risk of death or serious illness if they contract COVID-19.

It does not include those that care for children unless the child has severe neuro-disabilities.

The following carers are currently being invited as a priority for vaccination as part of
Cohort 6:

  • Carers who are known to GPs and have a ‘carer’s flag’ on their primary care record. These carers will be invited for vaccination by their GP practice.
  • Carers who are eligible to receive carers allowance. These carers will be invited to book a vaccination at one of the mass vaccination centres.
  • Carers who are known to Local Authorities who are in receipt of support following a carers assessment. These carers will be invited to book a vaccination at one of the mass vaccination centres.

There are other unpaid carers who are a priority but are not known to the NHS or local authority. A new national process if being set up so that carers can self-declare to confirm they are caring for someone who is vulnerable to COVID-19 leading to a priority vaccine. We will communicate further about this when available.

It is important that people caring for someone who may be a vulnerable person but not in relation to COVID-19 should wait to be contacted when their age group is invited for vaccination.

Everyone over 18 will be invited for a vaccination by July 2021. Please do not contact your GP or Local Authority to try and get a vaccine. You will be contacted when you are eligible. Also, please do not approach your GP for you name to be added as a carer , new notifications need to be through the national process.

By working through the population in this way means those most vulnerable to dying or being hospitalised as a result of contracting COVID-19 are vaccinated first.