News

Coronavirus update

Lockdown Poster
Our previous update contained a link to the guidelines the Government published on the current National Lockdown – Stay At Home conditions. For an at-a-glance version, a poster has now been produced and can be accessed here.

A Third Vaccine Approved
The US biotech firm Moderna have produced a coronavirus vaccine which has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Body and so can be used as an alternative to the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines. The UK Government have ordered a total of 17 million doses of the Moderna vaccine, enough to vaccinate 8.5 million people. However, supplies of the Moderna version will not be available in the UK immediately as the company will give the first batches to citizens of the USA where the vaccine was funded and developed. Taking all three vaccines into account, the Government have now ordered a total of 367 million doses and the Prime Minister has said that the aim is to vaccinate 15 million people in the UK by mid-February.

Local Vaccinations Update
As mentioned last week, the vaccination of patients of the Pulborough Medical Group is well under way and a number of our residents have received their first jab. Patients registered with the Arundel Surgery will be pleased to know that the surgery have now had news of the Covid vaccine allocation for the “Regis” locality – however when vaccinations begin, they will be administered at the Bognor Health Centre rather than the surgery. Arundel Surgery’s website contains full details and can be accessed here.

BEWARE OF SCAMMERS!
Sadly, as with the Test and Trace system previously, scammers are now using the Covid vaccination programme in an attempt to extricate money from the unwary. One version doing the rounds comes in the form of an email purporting to be from the NHS informing the recipient that they have been identified as being eligible for a vaccine and, surprise, surprise – asking for details of a debit or credit card as “we need to prove ownership of address”. Please remember that the vaccination is free of charge and you will never be asked by the NHS to provide your bank account or debit/credit card details.

Stay well and keep safe and if you need help with shopping or medical prescriptions please contact
Fr. Peter Mallinson (Bury) 839057 or Ken & Diana Rowsell (West Burton) 831475