Please check this page periodically to see up-to-date information on the COVID-19  vaccination programme.  If we have not already offered you an appointment, please be assured that we will be in contact in due course.  Please ensure your contact details are up-to-date (click here to update your details).

IMPORTANT:  Please be aware of scams.  You will never be asked to provide payment or bank details to prove your identity.  Our SMS/Text Messages will generally only arrive from the sender 'BethesdaMC' and will contain a link which will take you to a secure area in which you can book your appointment, similar to the following examples.  The only identity we will ask for is your Date of Birth.

The government’s website has been updated with details on the vaccination requirement before travelling internationally.

Click here for more information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/demonstrating-your-covid-19-vaccination-status-when-travelling-abroad

The information will support the public with any initial enquiries they may have and is designed to divert enquiries away from primary care. 

Countries will decide whether they require proof of Covid vaccination for entry, and it is the traveller’s responsibility to check individual requirements. If needed, people in England who have both vaccine doses will be able to demonstrate their Covid vaccination status via the NHS App from 17 May. 

Those without access to the app can request a letter from the NHS proving their vaccination status by calling 119.  More information will be shared with you when it becomes available.

If you would like to Register for Online Services Click Here

The vaccination centre can be found at:

The Saga Contact Centre
Eurokent Business Park
New Haine Road
Ramsgate
Kent
CT12 5ZW

Click here to view on Google Maps.

The team at Bethesda will be working alongside other practices at this central Thanet Hub to assist in the vaccination of all patients.

The Thanet Hub has lots of parking and is easy for patients to book and attend, and it is more efficient for us to deliver the vaccines.

We use an electronic booking system to invite patients and track vaccinations, so if you receive a text from us with an invitation to have a vaccine, please respond as soon as possible to book your appointment.

We kindly ask you to follow the instructions in the text message to book or cancel appointments, and please do not contact the surgery unless you are having extreme technical difficulty.

For those patients without an up-to-date mobile phone number the surgery will attempt to contact you via other methods to book your vaccinations, but patients are advised to use the electronic booking system where possible to speed up the booking process.

Please ensure your contact details are correct as soon as possible to avoid further delays or disruptions.  Alternatively please update your contact details here on our website.

Please click on the links below to see videos of COVID-19 vaccination information translated into other languages, or click on the videos corresponding to your preferred language below.

• Hungarian - https://youtu.be/YaSaOEkkfvQ
• Kurdish - https://youtu.be/NCegTNdlq1s
• Urdu - https://youtu.be/Al94qceUCjM
• Slovakian - https://youtu.be/u87_habSSk0
• Polish - https://youtu.be/dzlk7xMYOmk
• Twi (Akan) - https://youtu.be/TxeYot8JQA0

These videos translated roughly to English read as follows:

"Please book in for your COVID vaccination, there is no need to hesitate.  You are more likely to die from COVID19 if you are Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic Group.  In our community we need to ensure all of us are safe and we are not safe until we are all vaccinated.  We know injections can be scary and like all medicines there can be side effects but these are mild, short-term and can be managed with paracetamol.  You cannot catch COVID from the vaccine, I have had the vaccine. Please contact your GP Surgery to book in for your vaccine now."

The following message is for all the ethnic minorities in our community:

If you have received a message from your doctor to have the vaccine, please make every effort to attend. It is important that you have this vaccine.  If you have any doubts about the safety of the vaccine please ask your doctor for advice.

Arabic:

رســـالـة الی جمیع القومیات والأقـلیــات في مجتمعنا.
إذا وصلتك رسالة من طبیبك لکي تحصل علی اللقاح، نرجو أن تتأکد من حظورك.
من المهم أن تأخذ هذا اللقاح.
لن نکون سالما الی أن نکون جمیعنا سالمون.
إذا عندك أي شکوك من سلامة اللقاح نرجو أن تطلب النصیحة من طبیبك.

Urdu:

ہماری برادری میں تمام نسلی اقیلیتون کے لئے پیغام

اگر ٓاپ کو اپنے داکٹر کی طرف سے یہ ویکسین لگانے کا کوئ پیغام موصول ہوا ہے تو، براہ کرم یقینی بنائیں کہ آپ ویکسین لگوالیں۔  ہم سب اس وقت تک محفوظ نہیں ہوسکتے جب تک ہم سب یہ ویکسین نہ لگوالیں۔
اگر ٓاپ کو اس ویکسین کے بارے میں کوئ شبہ ہے تو براہے مہربانی اپنے داکٹر سے مشورہ کریں۔  شکریہ

Kurdish:

نامەیەک بۆ هەمو رەگەز و پێیەکهاتەکان له کۆمەڵگاکەمان.
ئەگەر نامەیەکت پێ گەییشت لە پزیشکەتەوە بۆ وەرگتنی ڤاگسین، تکایە تەئکید بکە کە ئامادە ئەبیت.
ئەمە گرنگە کە تۆ ڤاگسین وەربگریت.
کەسمان سەلامەت نابین هەتا هەمومان سەلامەت نەبین.
ئەگەر هیچ گومانێکت هەیە لە سەلامەتی ئەو ڤاگسینە تکایە داوای ئامۆژگاری بکە لە پزیشکەکەت

Polish:

Wiadomość dla wszystkich mniejszości etnicznych w naszej okolicy.

Jeżeli otrzymasz wiadomość tekstową od lekarza w celu zaszepienia się, proszę upewnij się że przyjdziesz na wizytę.
Bardzo ważne jest aby otrzymać tę szczepionkę.
Nikt nie jest bezpieczny dopóki wszyscy będziemy bezpieczni.
Jeżeli masz jakieś wątpliwości dotyczące bezpieczeństwa tej szczepionki proszę poradź się swojego lekarza.

Romanian:

Mesaj pentru toate minoritatile etnice din comunitatea noastra. Daca ai primit mesaj de la doctorul tau sa iei vacinul pentru Covid 19, te rog sa mergi cind ai programare. Este important sa iei vacinul. Noi nu suntem in siguranta pina cind toata lumea e in siguranta. Daca ai indoieli in legatura cu cit de sigur este vacinul, te rog sa vorbesti cu doctorul tau.

Slovakia and Czech:

Odkaz pre našu komunitu.  Ak ste dostali správu od lekára pozývajúcu vás na vakcínu, prosíme, aby ste išli. Je dôležité vakcínu dostať, aby sme boli všetci v bezpečí a chránení. Ak sa obávate vakcíny a jej možných následkov, porozprávajte sa s lekárom.

Turkish:

Halkımız içindeki bütün etnik azınlıklara duyuru: Eğer doktorunuzdan aşı olmanız için bir çağırı alırsanız, lütfen gidip aşınızı yaptırın. Bu çok önemli. Hepimizin güvencesi icin, herbirimizin güvencede olması gerekir. Eğer aşı olmak konusunda bir kuşkunuz varsa, bu konuyu doktorunuzla konuşun.
 

French:

Message pour toutes les minorités ethniques de notre communauté. Si vous avez reçu un message de votre médecin pour vous faire vacciner, assurez-vous de vous y présenter. Il est important que vous ayez ce vaccin. Nous ne sommes pas en sécurité tant que nous ne sommes pas tous en sécurité. Si vous avez des doutes sur la sécurité du vaccin, demandez conseil à votre médecin.

If you have received a text message from us which includes a link you must click and follow the instructions if you require a vaccination.

Please ensure you only call us if you are experiencing difficulty booking, on 01843 209300 (Option 2, then Option 1, then Option 1 again).

If you are a Frontline Health and Social Care Worker (see following list) and you haven't received an invitation for a vaccination, please get in touch.  Please note, if you are a Frontline Health and Social Care Worker we will ask you for your workplace ID or proof of your occupation at the time of vaccination; please ensure you have this available.

Frontline Health and Social Care Workers

Healthcare

• Ambulance Care Assistants
• Ambulance Technicians
• Audiologists
• Biomedical Scientists
• Cardiographers
• Catering Staff (to Care Homes and Healthcare premises only)
• Chaplains
• Counsellors
• Dentists and Dental Staff
• Dieticians
• Doctors
• Emergency Medical Dispatchers
• Estates and Facilities Managers
• Healthcare Housekeeping Staff
• Health Support Workers
• Health Visitors
• Laboratory Staff
• Learning Disability Nurses
• Laundry Services (supplying to Care Homes and Healthcare premises only)
• Mental Health Nurses
• Midwives
• Molecular Geneticists
• Mortuary Staff
• Nurses
• Nursing Assistants
• Nursery Staff
• Occupational Therapist
• Optometrists
• Orthoptists
• Orthodontic Specialists
• Orthotists
• Paramedics
• Pathology Staff
• Pharmacists
• Pharmacy Delivery Drivers
• Pharmacy Technicians
• Physiotherapists
• Podiatrists and Chiropodists
• Prosthetists
• Psychologists
• Psychotherapists
• Medical Secretaries
• Speech and Language Therapists

Social Care

• People and Patient-facing Social Services personnel (including Job Centre staff)
• Community Care workers

Emergency Care

• Police
• Fire Brigade

Voluntary Sector Care

• Patient and People facing
• NHS Hospice Volunteers

Funeral Care

• Morticians
• Undertakers
• Funeral Arrangers

• A blood cancer (such as Leukaemia, Lymphoma or Myeloma)
• Diabetes
• Dementia
• A heart problem
• A chest complaint or breathing difficulties, including Bronchitis, Emphysema or severe Asthma
• A kidney disease
• A liver disease
• Lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as HIV infection, steroid medication, chemotherapy or radiotherapy)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus or Psoriasis
• Have had an organ transplant
• Had a stroke or a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)
• A neurological or muscle wasting condition
• A severe or profound learning disability
• A problem with your spleen, example Sickle Cell Disease, or you have had your spleen removed
• Are seriously overweight (BMI of 40 and above)
• Are severely mentally ill

It is important to remind people that even though they have been protected with the vaccine, they can still carry and spread the virus to those who have not been vaccinated yet.  It is imperative that people stick to the current national guidelines and resctrictions by wearing a mask, washing hands regularly and keep a 2-meter distance from other people.  We need to carry on taking precautions for ourselves and others until the government advises otherwise.