What actually happens if you can’t make it to your second vaccine?

All adults aged 18 or over are now eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine. More than 43 million people in the United Kingdom have received at least their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine. With cities up and down the country opening mobile vaccination centres, it is set to be the “biggest inoculation programme the country has ever launched.”

The government has continued to say the success of vaccinations is a key part of the easing of restrictions in the future. The majority of the Covid vaccines are given in two separate doses. For example, the AztraZeneca vaccine is usually given a minimum of eight weeks apart. The NHS is currently following a schedule of 12 weeks between doses of vaccines.

But what happens if you miss your second vaccine appointment?

What happens if you can’t make the date you originally agreed for your second vaccine?

If you made your second vaccine appointment with your GP, you must let your GP practice know you cannot attend your appointment and organise another suitable date.

If you booked your vaccine appointments through the NHS website, where you can cancel and book appointments again to a date that suits you.

The same would apply if you manage to miss your second vaccination appointment.

What happens if you lose your Covid vaccination card?

According to University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, if you happen to lose your Covid vaccination card, you can email the vaccination bookings team depending on where you receive your vaccine. You should email them with the details of your first appointment, your name and your NHS number.

Alternatively, you can go onto the NHS website and check your Covid-19 vaccine record. On this service, you can see when you had a coronavirus vaccination, which vaccine you had and where you had the vaccine administered.

To use the service, you must have had a vaccination in England, must not be part of a vaccine trial, must be ages 16 or over and have an NHS login.

What happens if you forget when your appointment is?

If you forget when your second vaccination appointment is, you can find all the information about your vaccine appointments on the NHS website.

Similarly to if you need to change your vaccine appointment, you can log onto the NHS vaccination website to manage and view your bookings.

You can find more about vaccinations appointments here.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• It’s all over TikTok, but does swinging your arm after the Covid vaccine actually help?

• The queues at Twickenham proved young people don’t need to be shamed into the vaccine

• ‘It’s been co-opted’: What young LGBTQ+ NHS staff actually think about the rainbow flags