Shropshire Star

NHS to begin text alerts for Covid vaccinations

Residents across the county can expect to receive text messages from the NHS as a new system is rolled out to invite people to book their Covid jab.

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The NHS says it will make it quicker and more convenient to get an appointment.

Those aged 55 and over and unpaid carers will be the first to get a text alert inviting them to book a slot.

The messages will include a web link for those eligible to click and reserve an appointment.

Reminders will be sent two to three weeks after the original alert to encourage people to get their vaccine if they have not taken up the offer.

Texts will arrive in advance of the standard letter, meaning if the trial is successful the solution could enable the NHS to react faster to changing vaccine supplies and fill appointments quickly.

NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: “Thanks to careful planning and the huge efforts of NHS staff we have vaccinated more than 18 million people in England, which is a remarkable achievement.

“The NHS vaccination programme, the biggest in health service history, continues to go from strength to strength and we are now building on that momentum by trialling a quick and easy service that will hopefully make it more convenient for people to book their life saving jab."

Some GP-led and hospital vaccination services, which operate their own booking systems, are already using texts for invites.

People will continue to receive letters inviting them to book an appointment as well as a text alert, to ensure that people who don’t have a number registered or need information in different languages or formats don’t miss out.

Anyone who cannot or would prefer not to travel to a vaccination centre or pharmacy-led site, can choose to wait to be invited by a local GP-led service.

In some cases text messages have been used by scammers to try to collect personal details from people, get them to ring premium rate numbers or enter their banking details.

The text message will be sent using the Government’s secure Notify service and will show as being sent from ‘NHSvaccine’.

The NHS will never ask for payment or banking details.

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