The Government and NHS are trying to stop the spread of coronavirus. As part of this, they want to make sure that as many people as possible receive a coronavirus vaccine so they will be protected against the virus. Getting a vaccine is important to stop you getting ill from the virus and to stop its spread. However, you don’t have to get a vaccine if you don’t want to. If you do choose to have a vaccine, it is free.  

NHS England have created this helpful explainer video to help you understand more about the vaccine such as what it is and how it is made. 

The Government has now approved two vaccines for use in the UK, which have been developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca. These vaccines have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and have gone through clinical trials and safety checks. The vaccines teach the body how to fight coronavirus and build immunity, meaning it is unlikely you will get ill. You can read more about just how safe and effective the vaccine is on the NHS website. So far, millions of people have been given a vaccine and reports of serious side effects, such as allergic reactions, have been very rare.

Autistic adults will eventually be covered in the vaccine roll-out by their age, but no announcement has been made about offering the vaccine earlier to autistic people who don’t have a learning disability. However, for autistic adults who live in care settings, the Government has said that when a care home or service includes someone who is clinically vulnerable, it would be sensible to offer the vaccination to all residents at the same time. 
There is also no information about people with complex needs who do not fit into one of the earlier below categories, regardless of where they live. We have asked the Government to publish more information about this and will update this page when this is available.

Visit our priority groups vaccine page to read more about how people are being prioritised for the vaccine, including carers and people with a learning disability.

Who will contact me about the vaccine?

In order to get the vaccine, you must be registered with a GP. When it is your turn, you will receive an invitation from the NHS to be vaccinated.  For most people this will be a letter from your local GP or the national NHS (some people may receive a text or email from their GP practice). This letter will include all the information you need to book appointments, including your NHS number. NHS England advice is to wait to be contacted and not contact NHS services until you have received your letter – however, you can contact your GP to make sure your records include information about you being in a priority group, for example if you, or the person you support, has a learning disability or if you are an unpaid carer.

Once you have booked your appointment, you can contact your GP to ask about reasonable adjustments for you or the person you support when you get the vaccine. For example, you might be worried about the environment where the vaccine will be done being crowded or noisy or being rushed.

Mencap have produced an easy read guide to help you ask for extra support (reasonable adjustments) when having your vaccine.

When will I get my vaccine?

Vaccinations have now started, but you should wait for the NHS to contact you to find out when it will be your turn. You do not need to contact your GP but you should make sure you are registered with a GP surgery. You can register with a GP if you do not have one.

The vaccine will be offered more widely, and at multiple locations, as soon as possible but some people will get them now if they are at a higher risk of getting sick from coronavirus. The Government has put together a list of people most at risk from the virus, called ‘the priority list’ and has been working through this. The higher up you are on the list, the quicker you will receive your vaccine. Priority group 6 includes carers (both paid and unpaid) as well as people aged 16-64 who are classed as clinically vulnerable, including all adults with a learning disability.

What will happen when I get the vaccine? 

When you get a vaccine, you will need to get two injections. The NHS will tell you when you need to go back for your second dose, but it should be up to 12 weeks after your first one. It will take a long time to vaccinate everyone who wants a vaccine so you still need to follow rules to stop the virus spreading. This includes social distancing, wearing a face covering if you are supposed to wear one and self-isolating, until the Government says it is safe not to do so. 

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation have produced this guide on reasonable adjustments to the vaccine process for individuals with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges.  We are seeking further information from the Government about how reasonable adjustments will be accommodated at individual testing centres.

Where do the vaccines happen?

There are three ways of vaccinating people, including in hospitals, dedicated vaccination centres and in the community, such as in GP services and pharmacies. Currently, the vaccine is being offered in some hospitals and hundreds of local vaccination centres run by GPs.

What vaccines has the Government approved? 

The Government has now approved two vaccines for use in the UK, which have been developed by Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca. These vaccines have met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and have gone through clinical trials and safety checks. The vaccines teach the body how to fight coronavirus and build immunity, meaning it is unlikely you will get ill. 

There are other vaccines that might also be approved in the coming weeks and months.   
You can read more about the vaccination programme on the Government website.

Who is on the priority list for the vaccine?

The Government is following a priority list for the roll-out of the vaccine, which sets out the groups of people who will get a vaccine in order of priority across the UK. You can read about the priority groups, which include unpaid carers and adults with learning disabilities, on our priority groups page.

Videos on vaccinations for people with learning disabilities and autistic adults

NHS England recently published a film on vaccinations for people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. This applies generally to all vaccines, including the coronavirus vaccine. The video describes what a vaccine is, how vaccines are made, whether a vaccine can make you ill and how to decide whether to have a vaccine. The link will also take you to other videos about vaccinations, including the flu vaccine.

Connor, a young autistic man, has made a very helpful video about his own experience getting the coronavirus vaccine to help prepare other autistic people. You can watch this here.

Children

At this stage, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) hasn’t recommended vaccinating most children with the Pfzier/BioNTech vaccine or the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, although trials are ongoing. It is unclear what decision will be made about any other upcoming vaccines. 

However, the JCVI has said that only children at a very high risk of exposure and serious outcomes, such as older children with severe neuro-disabilities that require residential care should be offered the vaccine. In these cases, doctors should discuss the risks and benefits of vaccination with someone with parental responsibility. We expect the Government to publish more information about whether this would include autistic children in residential schools and what phase of the vaccine rollout would include these children.

What we’re doing

We are asking the Government for more information about when working age autistic adults or children who are not clinically vulnerable or have an underlying health condition will be offered a coronavirus vaccine.

We are telling the Government about your experiences of the coronavirus outbreak so it knows what life is like for autistic people and their families. If you want to share your experiences, and any worries or concerns you have, with us by emailing stories@nas.org.uk.