Covid: When will I get the vaccine?

More than 34.6 million people in the UK have had a first dose of a Covid vaccine.

A second dose has been given to more than 15 million people – nearly 30% of all adults.

In England, people aged 40 and over are being invited to come forward and book online. Text messages have been sent out with a link to the national booking service, which can also be called on 119.

People aged 45 and over in Scotland are now being invited to get their vaccine. Unpaid carers in Scotland aged 16-64 can also register online to get the vaccine, or call 0800 030 8013.

The Welsh government says vaccines are now being offered to people aged 40 and over, and some health boards have started inviting the 30-39 age group. There’s more information about the roll-out on the Public Health Wales website.

In Northern Ireland, people aged 30 and over are now eligible. They can book online or call 0300 200 7813.

Across the UK, people over 16 who live with adults with weakened immune systems are also being offered a vaccine.

The government says all adults will be offered their first dose by the end of July – in decreasing age order:

Some groups at higher risk of needing hospital treatment from Covid are urged to take up the offer of vaccination promptly:

The advice for pregnant women has been updated.

The UK’s vaccine committee now says they should be offered a Covid jab when other people their age get one.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are preferable, they say, because data relating to 90,000 pregnant women has not raised any safety concerns. Data on how the AZ vaccine works in pregnant women may be available in the near future.

Those most at risk from Covid and those caring for them were vaccinated first. They include:

All four nations of the UK follow these priorities, but the rollout varies between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Everyone should be offered a second vaccine dose within 12 weeks of the first jab to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

First doses offered daily have now been overtaken by second jabs.

The approved vaccines require two doses to provide the best protection.

In the UK, people were initially told they would get a second dose three to four weeks after the first. But to ensure a faster rollout of first doses, the UK’s chief medical officers extended the gap to 12 weeks.

This decision has been proved correct by studies which show that one vaccine dose gives prolonged protection and cuts infections in all age groups. A second dose is still required, however, for maximum protection.

People under the age of 30 are to be offered an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, after a review into a possible link with extremely rare blood clots in adults.

But the UK’s medicine regulator – the MHRA – says the benefits of the vaccine still outweigh the risks for most people.

Official guidance says everyone should get the same vaccine for both doses. In very rare circumstances – if only one vaccine is available, or it’s not known which was given for the first dose – a different vaccine can be used.

If you have already had a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, you should also have a second dose.

Only those who suffered a rare blood clot after the first dose should not, the regulator says.

A UK trial is currently investigating whether using two different vaccines for the first and second doses could give better protection and more flexibility.

All three vaccines used in the UK have been shown to be effective at preventing people from becoming seriously ill and dying from Covid.

The AstraZeneca vaccine offers a good level of protection against the “Kent” variant now dominant in the UK. Early research on other vaccines, including Pfizer, suggest they also offer protection.

There are concerns the vaccines may not work as well against variants first spotted in South Africa and Brazil, and some UK variants too. But developers are updating their jabs to target the new variants, and plan to have them ready by the autumn.

They are likely to be offered as a routine booster for some groups.

The UK has ordered eight vaccines and expects to receive 517 million doses – more than enough for every adult to receive two.

These include another 60 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine (added to the original order of 40 million) to be used as part of a booster programme in the autumn. Vaccines supplied by CureVac will be designed to protect against the most concerning new variants.

Covid vaccines are being trialled for children by most companies. Pfizer has released early data which suggests children aged 12-15 are well protected, with no unusual side effects.

AstraZeneca has halted its trial involving 300 participants aged six to 17 while the UK’s medicines regulator investigates a possible link with rare blood clots in adults.

In the UK, the Pfizer vaccine is currently approved for use in over-16s and the AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines in over-18s.

Getting a Covid vaccine is not compulsory because experts say this wouldn’t help create public confidence. But making it mandatory for NHS staff and care workers is being considered.

A very small number of people have experienced a severe allergic reaction – known as anaphylaxis – after the Pfizer vaccine, but the UK regulator says these are “very rare”.

You should discuss any serious allergies with your healthcare professional before being vaccinated.

Most people will not be affected in any way, although side-effects with all Covid vaccines are possible.

The most common ones include a sore arm, headache, chills, fatigue and nausea.

They are part of the body’s normal immune response to vaccines and tend to resolve within a day or two.