As we continue to roll out the COVID-19 vaccination programme to our communities, feedback is incredibly important. Hearing from local people about the questions you have, how we are sharing information, and your experience of having the vaccination will help to shape our communications and the way people are receiving their vaccination across our services.
With thousands of people being vaccinated across Sussex, we want to do everything we can to make sure we reach people across our diverse communities to support them to come forward and have their jab.
Some of the ways we are doing this is below in today’s Daily Update – from our work with communities to sharing information about the vaccination in a range of formats and languages – but also want to hear from you.
We are keen to hear from people about their experience of the vaccination programme, the information you are receiving or not receiving, and your actual experience of having the vaccine – positive experiences and where there need to be improvements.
Share your views through our survey, or tell us your story.
Our survey will help us shape how we continue to roll out this vaccination programme to our communities over the coming weeks and months; it is open until Friday 27th February.
Please do share this link onwards through your groups and networks.
It is incredibly important to our vaccination programme that in Sussex there is equitable access for everyone who is eligible for the vaccination.
A key part of the programme is our work with diverse groups and communities to help us to reach out and make sure that everyone is supported to have their vaccine when it is their turn.
Some of the activity that has happened to date includes:
We also now have more than 100 Vaccination Champions who have been recruited to help share factual information about the vaccine and the vaccination programme, and support communities with questions and queries people may have. They are working across local areas and in particular communities, and will be key as the programme continues to roll out.
There have been a range of questions and areas of interest collated from this work so far, and this insight has helped shape our frequently asked questions.
As we outlined above, it is important to us that we are sharing information in formats and languages to reach our diverse communities.
The BBC’s Asian Network asked listeners to send in their questions about the vaccine to have them answered by experts. Areas raised by listeners range from the vaccine’s long-term effects to whether the ingredients are halal or vegetarian-friendly.
Watch online as Divya Chadha Manek from the UK Vaccine Taskforce addresses their concerns in English.
For those who may not have English as a first language, doctors have also answered the questions in five languages: Gujarati, Punjabi, Sylheti, Tamil and Urdu.
You can also find out more information about the vaccine rollout in the five South Asian languages here.
We have received a number of enquiries about whether people can have the vaccination while they are fasting as Ramadan approaches.
The British Islamic Medical Association has provided helpful information, including the latest update about fasting and COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Association says that receiving either of the two COVID-19 vaccines currently licenced in the UK does not invalidate the fast and it encourages individuals not to delay their vaccination on the account of Ramadan.
More information can be found on their website.
We understand that at this time people have lots of questions about the vaccination and about the programme and its roll out across our communities.
To help support people and answer queries you may have, we have a vaccine enquiry service which can be accessed by email or by phone.
It is important to be clear this is not a phone number or email address to book your vaccination.
The national booking system can be accessed by visiting www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or calling 119 free of charge.
sxccg.vaccineenquiries@nhs.net
0800 433 4545
(Monday to Friday, 9am – 4pm)
Much more information about the vaccination programme is available on our website, including details of the services available in each area, latest data, stakeholder briefings, answers to frequently asked questions and links to all the national leaflets and materials.
Thank you for your support in helping to keep our local communities updated and informed about this fast-moving and unprecedented vaccination programme.
> Find more information about the Sussex COVID-19 vaccination programme