The delivery of second Covid vaccine doses will be supported by a national campaign encouraging the public to get their jab, NHS England has said.
In a letter setting out the next steps for vaccine delivery this week, NHS England told PCNs that supplies for second shots – which have now started to be delivered – will be ‘distributed in the usual way’.
The letter said: ‘Second dose delivery is underway and national supplies for second doses will be distributed in the usual way.
‘A national, public-facing campaign to support second doses will commence shortly and further information and material for local use will be shared with you via your regional teams nearer the time.’
It added that further guidance on second doses will be issued ‘shortly’.
It remains unclear whether PCNs can begin booking second dose appointments for those who have already received a first and whether they can book first and second dose appointments at the same time going forward.
NHS England has been approached for comment.
The letter also said that PCNs should plan to administer roughly twice the current number of jabs from 15 March, when supply will ‘increase substantially’ for ‘several weeks’.
It comes as the NHS has this week begun inviting patients aged 60-63 for their first Covid-19 jab, with the health secretary announcing that more than 20 million people across the UK have now had their first Covid jab.
The Government’s ambition is for all adults in the UK to have been offered a first dose of a Covid vaccine by the end of July.
Official guidance changed on 31 December to say all second vaccine doses should be given after 12 weeks instead of three weeks to maximise the number of people protected against Covid-19 in the shortest possible timeframe.
