All our help and information is now available in a single place on the SCC website https://www.somerset.gov.uk/coronavirus/covid-19-latest-advice/
This page is refreshed through the day so please check in regularly to keep across developments and news.
Public Health dashboard: Detailed Public Health information dashboards are available on our website www.somerset.gov.uk/coronavirus just scroll down to ‘Covid-19 dashboard’. These are updated daily.
Top stories today:
Public warned over COVID-19 vaccine scams
Following an increasing number of reports around scams asking people to wrongly pay for COVID-19 vaccinations, Avon and Somerset Police are reminding people to be wary and to report any suspected cases to Action Fraud.
Action Fraud revealed last week it recorded more than 1,000 reports nationally of phishing emails and text messages connected to the vaccine roll-out in just one day.
The scams fraudulently claim to be from the NHS and ask the recipient to click on a link to accept or decline an invitation to receive the coronavirus vaccine. If they click accept, they are asked to input personal information and their bank card details.
In the UK, coronavirus vaccines will only be available via the National Health Services of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. You can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, a GP surgery or pharmacy local to you, to receive your vaccine. How you will be contacted for your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
The vaccine is therefore free and at no point will people be asked to pay for one.
Using the bus to get to vaccination site
People planning to use public transport to get to the large vaccination site at the Bath & West Showground are being reminded to:
- take their appointment letter with them and
- aim to use the timetabled journey which arrives at the Bath & West Showground as close to their appointment time as possible to avoid waiting time on site.
Somerset County Council is joining forces with transport providers to help vulnerable residents get to their Covid vaccination appointments. The Council is working with First West of England to provide a service every 30 minutes from Wells Bus Station via Shepton Mallet terminating at the showground – seven days a week, providing connections to/from other bus services at both Wells Bus Station and Shepton Mallet Cenotaph. This service is also free for bus pass holders and started yesterday (Monday February 1).
Urgent plea for vulnerable groups to have flu jab
Somerset County Council is urging people with underlying health conditions to take up the free offer of a flu vaccination if they haven’t already.
Flu can affect anyone, but for those living with a long-term health condition the effects of catching the flu can make it worse, even if the condition is well managed and they normally feel well.
This winter we have the added complication of Coronavirus still being in circulation throughout our community. Catching flu and Coronavirus together is even more likely to lead to severe illness, hospitalisation and sadly death.