Overseas vaccinations

For patients wishing to have their overseas vaccination appear on the NHS app, an appointment can be booked by calling 119 or visiting the .gov website.  The service is located in St Helens and patients are required to take their vaccination evidence with them to the appointment where it will then be uploaded.  

Pre-vaccination Checklist.

Only proceed to book your vaccination if you can answer “NO” to ALL of the following questions.

Have you ever had a severe allergic reaction?

Don’t have this vaccine if you ever had a significant, immediate-onset anaphylaxis to any vaccine or their components (including previous dose of Covid vaccine), medicine or food

Have you ever been prescribed an adrenaline pen?

Don’t have this vaccine if you have been advised to carry an adrenaline auto-injector pen.

Have you had a positive covid test in the past 4 weeks?

Don’t have this vaccine if you had a positive Covid test within the past 4 weeks. .

Are you participating in a clinical trial of Covid-19 Vaccines?

Don’t have this vaccine if you are participating in a clinical trial of Covid-19 Vaccines.

Have you received a dose of Covid-19 vaccination in the past 21 days?

Don’t have this vaccine if you have received a dose of Covid-19 vaccination in the past 21 days.

Have you have any illness, infection or currently feel feverish?

Don’t have this vaccine if you have any illness, infection or currently feel feverish?.

Are you pregnant?

Being pregnant does not mean you can’t receive this vaccine but will entail a discussion with your clinician beforehand. Please let you clinician know before you receive the vaccine.

 Waiting after your COVID-19 vaccination - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

15 minute wait following vaccination

Up until now, people receiving the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines have been asked to wait for 15 minutes before leaving the vaccination centre. This was because the rate of serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) reported after these 2 vaccines is slight higher (around 5 to 10 per million doses) than after other vaccines (normally 1 per million).

Why this is changing

Due to the Omicron variant, the booster programme for adults is being accelerated. As part of this, and given the very low rate of anaphylaxis, the 15 minute wait has been suspended, as we now have much more experience with giving these vaccines to millions of people. People are not normally observed for 15 minutes after other vaccinations.

Who is advising this change

The change has been advised by the Chief Medical Officer, and has the support of the Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

What you should do when you attend your vaccination

If you have a history of allergies, particularly to other vaccines, or if you had an immediate reaction after your previous doses, you may be advised to stay for the full 15 minutes. Please make sure you tell the vaccination centre. Note that a family history of allergies (or even anaphylaxis) is not a risk factor.

Please also tell them if you have previously fainted following vaccination.

Otherwise you will be able to leave the centre straight after your vaccine as long as you feel okay. You must not drive for 15 minutes after the vaccine – this is because of the risk of fainting.

What happens if you do experience allergic symptoms

You should look out for the following symptoms:

Airway

• persistent cough
• vocal changes (hoarse voice)
• swollen tongue causing difficulty swallowing

Breathing

• difficult or noisy breathing
• wheezing (like an asthma attack)

Consciousness

• feeling lightheaded or prolonged faint
• clammy skin
• confusion
• unresponsive or unconscious

These symptoms typically happen within 15 minutes of vaccination.

If you experience any of these, call out for help and/or ring 999 immediately (or ask someone to do this for you).

The following symptoms are not anaphylaxis, but imply a more mild reaction:

• swollen lips, face or eyes
• itchy skin rash, for example ‘hives’, urticaria

If any of these symptoms occur and you need advice, contact 111 or your health professional.

Simple faints are much more common after vaccination. If you do faint, stay flat on your back with your legs raised. If this doesn’t make you feel better, then call for help.

Further information

You can report suspected side effects on the coronavirus Yellow Card website.

Read the product information leaflets for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for more details on your vaccine, including possible side effects.

Click the QR code to download the patient information leaflet