COVID-19 Vaccination Service

It is not possible to book an appointment via Superdrug either in store or by phone. Bookings for the COVID-19 vaccination service is done via the NHS booking service only. Appointments are being prioritised for those most at risk from coronavirus. The NHS will let you know when it's your turn to have the vaccine, normally by letter and will provide information on how to book. It's important not to contact the NHS for a vaccination before then. Letters are being sent out every week so you might not get your letter straight away.

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

No. The COVID-19 vaccination is only available on the NHS only.

At the moment, we have vaccination sites in Basingstoke, Bristol, Cambridge Sydney St, Guildford, Leeds Merrion Centre and Manchester Piccadilly. We are in active discussion with the NHS about further vaccination centres.

We are in active discussions with the NHS about opening further vaccination sites.

More information on the COVID-19 vaccine can be found at the NHS Coronavirus Vaccine website.

At the moment, the NHS have provided us with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine

When you arrive for your appointment you will be met by a Greeter who will confirm that you don’t have any symptoms of coronavirus and will check you in. We recommend that you bring your booking reference number with you to the appointment.

You will then be taken to a waiting area where you will be seated before being seen by one our pharmacists or nurses. You will be asked some questions about your medical history to make sure the vaccine is safe for you to take. It’s important that you tell our healthcare team if you have had a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine or are pregnant.

You will be given information about the vaccine and, if you’re happy to proceed, you will receive the vaccine into your upper arm. You may be asked to wait for up to 15 minutes after having the vaccine. This is so a team member trained in Basic Life Support can observe you in the unlikely event that you have a serious reaction to the vaccine – although this is very rare! Our team are trained to deal with any reactions and treat them immediately.

The COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in the UK and has met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Any coronavirus vaccine that is approved must go through all the clinical trials and safety checks all other licensed medicines go through. The MHRA follows international standards of safety.

So far, millions of people have been given a COVID-19 vaccine and reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare. No long-term complications have been reported.

The 1st dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should give you good protection from coronavirus. But you need to have the 2 doses of the vaccine to give you longer lasting protection.

There is a chance you might still get or spread coronavirus even if you have the vaccine so it’s important that you continue to follow government guidance on social distancing and wear a face covering.

It is possible to get some side effects from the vaccine, but they are normally mild and should last no longer than a week. Side effects may include:

A sore arm where the needle went in:

• Feeling tired
• A mild headache
• General aches
• Feeling or being sick

A painkiller, such as paracetamol, can be taken to help manage your symptoms. If your symptoms get worse or don’t improve you can contact 111 for advice.