COVID Q&A event success

More than 200 members of staff from our three CCGs and EPUT attended a COVID vaccination Q&A event today (11 March).

The session was held to offer staff the opportunity to learn more about the vaccination, raise any concerns and ask questions about having the vaccine.

Topics for discussion included questions around allergies and the vaccine, whether non patient-facing NHS staff are eligible to have the vaccine, and the effectiveness of the vaccines against the newer strains of COVID from South Africa and Brazil.

Our Chief Executive Dr Jane Halpin has been very clear that all CCG staff are eligible for the vaccine, as we play a key role in managing the response to the pandemic and supporting vital frontline services. If you have not yet had the vaccine but would like to book one, you can do so online via the National Booking System, choosing the ‘NHS staff’ option, or by calling 119. You don’t have to wait until your age group has been invited.

The session was led by four experienced GPs who are very well informed about the COVID-19 vaccines in use in our three CCG areas:

• Dr Chinonye Okwuosa from Nuffield House Health Centre, Harlow
• Dr Charles Esene, Clinical Lead for The Town Centre Practice, Luton, and Chair of the AfroGP Herts and Beds
• Dr Avani Devkaran of Manor View Practice, Bushey and Watford
• Dr Kolade Daodu, Primary Care Network Clinical Director for Stevenage.

The slides from the presentation and a compilation of the questions and answers will be circulated as soon as possible.