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Covid BAME Outreach Programme

At Croydon BME Forum we are working with a number of organisations on Croydon’s Covid-19 vaccination programme. In partnership with South West London CCG and the Asian Resource Centre we aim to engage with local communities to answer questions and to provide information about the virus and vaccinations.

Covid-19 has disproportionately affected the black community. Last year the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that black people were almost twice as likely to die from the virus than white people.

A way to protect yourself from the virus is to have the vaccination. We understand there are concerns and some are hesitant to take the vaccine, so over the next few months we will be engaging with local communities to give you the chance to ask experts about the vaccine so that you can make an informed decision.

This webpage will be updated regularly with Covid-19 events and local information.

My vaccination experience video

My vaccination experience video

Question and Answer Session – Covid-19 and the Vaccine (Dec 2020)

Covid-19 and the Vaccine – Question & Answer Session March 2021

COVID-19 Beyond the Data Event – July 2021

COVID alert level and data for Croydon

Confirmed cases, deaths and other data for Croydon and the UK. Click Here

Can people pick what vaccine they want?

No. Any vaccines that the NHS will provide will have been approved because they pass the MHRA’s tests on safety and efficacy, so people should be assured that whatever vaccine they get, it is worth their while.

Does the vaccine include any parts from foetal or animal origin?

No. There is no material of foetal or animal origin in either vaccine. All ingredients are published in healthcare information on the MHRA website.

I am an unpaid carer, when can I have my vaccine?

If you are caring for someone with underlying health conditions who would struggle to cope if you became unwell, you can help the vaccination effort by emailing your GP practice or using its website to make sure your local surgery knows you are an unpaid carer.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation guidance that GPs follow says that if a carer is over 70 years old, they should ask to be vaccinated at the same time as the person they care for is vaccinated – so please ask at the point you are contacted by the NHS.

If a carer is 69 or younger, they will be able to get their vaccine once the NHS begins immunisations for that group. The NHS is moving through the priority groups in order and we are currently focusing on those aged 70 and over as well as health and social care staff. We will start of offer vaccinations to carers aged 69 or younger as soon as we can in the coming weeks.

Is the vaccination mandatory?

There are no plans for a Covid-19 vaccine to be compulsory.

Are there any Covid-19 vaccine side effects?

These are important details which the MHRA always consider when assessing candidate vaccines for use.

For these vaccines, like lots of others, they have identified that some people might feel slightly unwell, but they report that no significant side effects have been observed in the tens of thousands of people involved in trials.

All patients will be provided with information on the vaccine they have received, how to look out for any side effects, and what to do if they do occur, including reporting them to the MHRA.

What happens if a person has the first jab but not the second?

Both vaccines have been authorised on the basis of two doses because the evidence from the clinical trials shows that this gives the maximum level of protection.

To ensure as many people are vaccinated as quickly as possible, the Department for Health and Social Care now advise that the second dose of both the Oxford/AstraZeneca and the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine should be scheduled up to 12 weeks apart.

The evidence doesn’t show any risk to not having the second dose other than not being as protected as you otherwise would be. We would urge everyone to show up for both of their appointments for their own protection as well as to ensure we don’t waste vaccines or the time of NHS staff.

Will the new vaccines work with the new strains?

There is no evidence currently that the new strains will be resistant to the vaccines we have, so we are continuing to vaccinate people as normal.

Scientists are looking now in detail at the characteristics of the virus in relation to the vaccines. Viruses, such as the winter flu virus, often branch into different strains but these small variations rarely render vaccines ineffective.

What vaccines are available?

Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines are now available. Both vaccines have been shown to be safe and offer high levels of protection, and have been given regulatory approval by the MHRA.

The Government has in principle secured access to seven different vaccine candidates, across four different vaccine types, totalling over 357 million doses. This includes:

  • 40 million doses of the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine
  • 100m doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.
  • 7 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, which has been approved by the MHRA but is not expected to be delivered to the NHS until Spring.
Who will get the vaccine and when?

The NHS is currently offering the COVID-19 vaccine to people most at risk from coronavirus.

In England, the vaccine is being offered in some hospitals and pharmacies, at hundreds of local vaccination centres run by GPs and at larger vaccination centres. More centres are opening all the time.

It’s being given to:

  • people aged 80 and over
  • some people aged 70 and over
  • some people who are clinically extremely vulnerable
  • people who live or work in care homes
  • health and social care workers

You also need to be registered with a GP surgery in England. You can register with a GP if you do not have one.

Opening Hours

Head Office 

Mon-Fri: 9am – 5pm

Wellness Centre

Mon-Fri: 10am – 5pm 

Health & Wellbeing Space

Mon-Sat: 10am – 4:45pm

Sun: 11am: – 4pm 

Contact Info

Head Office 
56a Mitcham Road
Croydon CR0 3RG

Location
Opposite Kwik Fit and BP Petrol Station Corner of Albion Street

Travel information
Buses: 264 – 1 Min to Head Office
Nearest Train or Tram Stop: West Croydon

TEL: 020 8684 3719 

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