The Government and NHS are trying to stop the spread of coronavirus. As part of this, they want to make sure that as many people as possible receive a coronavirus vaccine so they will be protected against the virus. Getting a vaccine is important to stop you getting ill from the virus and to stop its spread. However, you don’t have to get a vaccine if you don’t want to. If you do choose to have a vaccine, it is free.  

NHS England have created this helpful explainer video to help you understand more about the vaccine such as what it is and how it is made. 

The Government has now approved four vaccines for use in the UK, which have been developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. These vaccines have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and have gone through clinical trials and safety checks. The vaccines teach the body how to fight coronavirus and build immunity, meaning it is unlikely you will get ill. You can read more about just how safe and effective the vaccine is on the NHS website. So far, millions of people have been given a vaccine and reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare.

If you have not yet had a vaccine, you must be registered with a GP to get one. You should have received an invitation from the NHS to be vaccinated, although invitations are only now going out for children and young people under 17 years old. For most people this will be a letter from your local GP or the national NHS (some people may receive a text or email from their GP practice). This letter will include all the information you need to book appointments, including your NHS number. You can visit the NHS website to book an appointment for anyone over 12 years old here. You can also call your GP to book an appointment if you are eligible.

Once you have booked your appointment, you can contact your GP to ask about reasonable adjustments for you or the person you support when you get the vaccine. For example, you might be worried about the environment where the vaccine will be done being crowded or noisy or being rushed.

Mencap have produced an easy read guide to help you ask for extra support (reasonable adjustments) when having your vaccine.

When will I get my vaccine?

Millions of people have already been vaccinated, but you should visit the NHS website if you have not yet been vaccinated and want to get one. You do not need to contact your GP but you should make sure you are registered with a GP surgery. You can register with a GP if you do not have one.

What will happen when I get the vaccine?

When you get a vaccine, you will need to get two injections. However, children and young people aged 12-17 will just get one for now. The NHS will tell you when you need to go back for your second dose, but it should be up to 12 weeks after your first one. It will take a long time to vaccinate everyone who wants a vaccine so you still need to follow rules to stop the virus spreading. This includes social distancing, wearing a face covering if you are supposed to wear one in some crowded spaces and self-isolating if you test positive for coronavirus, until the Government says it is safe not to do so.

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation have produced this guide on reasonable adjustments to the vaccine process for individuals with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges. The Government has provided information to GPs to ensure reasonable adjustments are accommodated at individual testing centres, but you can contact your GP ahead of your appointment if you are worried about reasonable adjustments for you or someone you care for.

Where do the vaccines happen?

There are three main places to vaccinate people, including in hospitals, dedicated vaccination centres and in the community, such as in GP services and pharmacies, and some larger community spaces. People can also be vaccinated at home if they are unable to leave home or visit one of these places due to a medical condition or disability. Contact your GP if you think you or your loved one will need a home visit and have not yet received a vaccine.

What vaccines has the Government approved?

The Government has now approved four vaccines for use in the UK, which have been developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The Moderna vaccines started being delivered to people in April 2021 and the Johnson & Johnson vaccines aren’t expected to arrive in the UK until later this year. All of these vaccines have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and have gone through clinical trials and safety checks. The vaccines teach the body how to fight coronavirus and build immunity, meaning it is unlikely you will get ill.

There are other vaccines that might also be approved in the coming weeks and months. You can read more about the vaccination programme on the Government website.

Will people get ‘booster’ vaccines after receiving two injections?

The Government has announced a ‘booster’ vaccination programme as the UK heads into the autumn and winter months, to give some people even more protection from coronavirus. This means that some people who are more vulnerable will receive a third injection after receiving the usual two injections. This is because scientific evidence shows that a third injection can offer even more protection to people who are at risk of becoming very sick from coronavirus. The JCVI has recommended that these people receive a Pfizer vaccine for the booster programme, regardless of which vaccine brand they received for their first two doses, because data shows the Pfizer vaccine works well as a third dose.

The booster vaccine dose should be offered no earlier than 6 months after receiving the first two injections. People will be contacted by the NHS when it is time to arrange their booster jab.The group the JCVI currently recommends should be covered by the booster programme includes people who were in priority groups 1-9 of the first vaccine roll-out. As well as severely immunosuppressed adults and children, who the JCVI already recommended be included, this includes:

· older people living in care homes

· all adults aged 50 years or over

· frontline health and social care workers

· people aged 16-49 with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe coronavirus, including learning disabilities

. unpaid adult carers 

· adults who live with immunosuppressed people.

If you think you or the person you care for should be covered by this, contact your GP to ensure this is recorded on GP records.

We will review this information to see if and when autistic people and/or people with a learning disability under 50 years old are included in the booster programme and will update this page when it is available.

Videos on vaccinations for people with learning disabilities and autistic adults

NHS England recently published a film on vaccinations for people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. This applies generally to all vaccines, including the coronavirus vaccine. The video describes what a vaccine is, how vaccines are made, whether a vaccine can make you ill and how to decide whether to have a vaccine. The link will also take you to other videos about vaccinations, including the flu vaccine.

Connor, a young autistic man, has made a very helpful video about his own experience getting the coronavirus vaccine to help prepare other autistic people. You can watch this here

Children

16-17 year olds

On 4 August 2021, the Government announced that all 16 to 17-year olds will receive an invitation to have the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine known as the 'Pfizer' vaccine. For now, the Government is prioritising the first dose and the JCVI will decide when the second dose will be given when it has looked at more data in the coming weeks. The Government says it expects any second dose will be given later, most likely from 12 weeks after the first dose.

Young people aged 17 and within 3 months of their18th birthday can book a coronavirus vaccine on the NHS website. For anyone aged 16-17 years and 9 months old, they must wait to be contacted by the NHS. 16 and 17 year olds can also find a walk-in vaccination site here to get a vaccine without an appointment.

12-15 year olds

Autistic children aged 12-15 are eligible for both doses of the coronavirus vaccine, and all 12-15 year olds will now start to be invited too.

In June, the UK’s medicine regulator, the MHRA, announced the Pfizer vaccine is also safe and effective for children aged 12-15.

Originally the group of 12-15 year olds who were eligible for a vaccine included children classed with having a ‘severe neuro-disability’, including autistic children. However, now all 12-15 year olds are eligible for a coronavirus vaccine. The Government’s medical advisers have decided that the benefits of being vaccinated outweigh the risks for many reasons, including by reducing the risk of any more disruption to children’s education, which can impact their attainment, mental health and wellbeing.

12-15 year olds will start to be invited to book a vaccine appointment over the next few weeks. If you need support with booking an appointment for an autistic child, you should contact your GP.

It is of course still down to individuals and their families to reach an informed choice as to whether they have the vaccine, this change simply gives every autistic child the choice of doing so.

Other conditions which are also prioritised include:

· children with a learning disability, including anyone on the learning disability register, children with Down’s syndrome and those with profound and multiple learning disabilities

· children with haematological malignancy, sickle-cell disease, type 1 diabetes, congenital heart disease

· children with immunosuppression (having a weakened immune system) due to disease or treatment

· children who are contacts of immunosuppressed people, meaning they share living accommodation on most days with someone of any age who is immunosuppressed.

For more information on prioritisation, visit the Government website here.

Vaccine passports

Information about the NHS COVID pass or 'vaccine passports' varies between each individual UK nation. Please visit our pages on going out in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland separately to see what the rules are for where you live.

What we’re doing?

We are telling the Government about your experiences of the coronavirus outbreak so it knows what life is like for autistic people and their families. If you want to share your experiences, and any worries or concerns you have, with us by emailing stories@nas.org.uk.