As a healthcare professional, it is clear that you are at heightened risk of catching the Covid-19 virus. Frontline workers in the NHS are reported as being seven times more likely to catch the virus, and those in social care twice as likely (Occupation and risk of severe COVID-19: prospective cohort study of 120 075 UK Biobank participants). This puts not only your own health at risk, but the health of those your care for, service users and your loved ones.
The introduction of a vaccine has provided a light at the end of this dark tunnel, so to help you prepare yourself for receiving the vaccination, we spoke to our Director of Clinical Governance Anne Anderson to give us all the information you might need around the benefits, and side effects, as well as providing you with all the important information you require.
The Pfizer and Oxford vaccines are now being supplied across the nation, with more than 3.5 million currently vaccinated against Covid-19 (https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-uk-vaccination-tracker-find-out-how-many-have-had-the-jab-12179220). By taking the DNA of a virus which has gripped the world, we are able to work towards a safer future.
The vaccine works by injecting a set of instructions into your body. These instructions enable your body to create a harmless protein which is unique to the Covid-19 virus. The protein creates the antibodies and cells required to fight off this particular virus.
The Covid-19 vaccination is given in two doses via an intradermal injection into the upper arm. The two doses of the vaccination are given 3 to 12 weeks apart to give the body enough time to develop protection from the first vaccination. The first dose of the vaccine gives 76% protection and when followed by the second dose, the percentage shoots up to an incredible 90%. It is vital to have both doses of the vaccination to ensure optimum protection.
The vaccinations have undergone vigorous testing and have met strict UK standards of safety, quality and efficiency as set by the Independent Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. You cannot catch the Covid-19 virus from the vaccination and no evidence suggests that the virus can be spread by having this vaccine.
It is vital to ensure you do not present with symptoms of the Covid-19 virus prior to attending your vaccination appointment. Attending your appointment with symptoms will place yourself, the public and the healthcare professionals administering the vaccine at risk.
Unfortunately, no matter how healthy you are, you are still at risk of contracting the virus, and even without symptoms you may pass Covid-19 on to your patients, service users and family without knowing. The vaccination drastically reduces your chances of catching the virus, therefore it is vital you receive this ground-breaking vaccine to ensure that our health and social care services continue to function.
Healthcare professionals place themselves at risk every day to ensure the safety of those they care for. With at least 540 frontline healthcare professionals sadly losing their lives to the Covid-19 virus, health and social care workers are being offered the vaccine as a priority. You should be vaccinated as soon as possible to keep you safe.
The government have created a rollout scheme to ensure those at high risk are vaccinated as soon as possible. When you are called for your vaccination depends on certain criteria which assesses your risk of complications from catching the virus. First to be vaccinated are the elderly, frontline health and social care workers, care home residents and those with particular clinical conditions such as cancer, breathing difficulties or immunity disorders.
As healthcare professionals, you are doing an outstanding job working on the frontline, and we cannot thank you enough for everything you have been doing, and continue to do, during this global pandemic. We encourage you to have the Covid-19 vaccination so you can work confidently knowing you are protected. By accepting the Covid-19 vaccination you are doing everything you can to work safely and provide outstanding care.
To ensure you feel confident receiving the Covid-19 vaccination, we have answered some of the most common questions asked:
The Covid-19 vaccination is quick, easy, painless and will enable us to work towards a safer future. An incredible breakthrough in the Covid-19 pandemic and one of the greatest achievements in modern medicine, this ground-breaking vaccination is allowing healthcare workers to do their jobs confidently and safely, whilst also protecting loved ones and the wider general public.
We cannot stress enough how proud we are of our health and social care professionals. Thank you for your dedication, hard work and selflessness during the global pandemic.
Should you require any further information please contact information@medacsglobalgroup.com.
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Medacs Healthcare is proudly supporting the COVID-19 vaccination programme