This Learning Disability Awareness Week, children and adults with learning disabilities and autism who need a Covid-19 vaccine, are being urged to get protected from the virus this summer, as more specialist clinics are being put on.

The next clinics are taking place at Loughborough Hospital, Hospital Way, LE11 5JY, on Wednesday 29 June, Thursday 7 July and Monday 22 August. Appointments for children aged five-11 will be in the mornings and appointments for young people and adults aged 12 upwards in the afternoons. The clinics have been specially designed to offer those attending a calm and friendly environment that meets their needs, including longer appointment times and vaccinators specialising in learning disability support and care. They are open to anyone with a learning disability or autism in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, aged five and over, who needs a first, second or booster Covid-19 vaccination.

All appointments need to be booked in advance. The vaccine used will be Pfizer, with children aged five-11 receiving a lower dose, as per national guidelines.

For people who may find attending a clinic challenging, the team will assess individuals and make adaptations to provide the best care and environment for them to have their vaccination. This includes the option to have the vaccine in a car outside a clinic or having the vaccine in a quiet, private space.

If these adaptions don’t work or, in a small number of cases, if a clinical environment is just not suitable for the individual, people with learning disabilities and autism can have a Covid-19 vaccine through our mobile service, where specialist nurses visit people in their own home or care home.

Sam Screaton, learning disability vaccination clinical lead at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, said: “This year, the theme of Learning Disability Awareness Week is about living life with a learning disability and showing how people are reconnecting with friends and their communities. It is also about highlighting the issues faced by people with learning disabilities after Covid-19 restrictions, like some people still having to isolate or feeling mentally unwell or anxious.

“People with a learning disability are more likely to become very poorly if they catch coronavirus. That is why it is so important for them to get the vaccine to protect them and stay healthy.

“It is extremely important to us to ensure that everyone who wants and needs a Covid-19 vaccine has access to them. We understand the issues people with learning disabilities face every day and that is why we have made adaptations to our clinics, to do everything we can to support people.

“Having the vaccine will allow people with a learning disability to have the confidence and protection to return to doing more of the things they enjoy in the community.

“I can assure anyone who is nervous about coming that all the people who work at the clinics are very friendly and will make sure you feel as comfortable and calm as possible. Parents and carers can also let us know if there are any special adaptions we can make to help make the vaccination easier, at the time of booking.”

To book an appointment at a clinic, please us the following links. Please specify in the additional comments box if you need for us to make any specialist adaptations.

To find out more about the mobile Covid-19 vaccination service, please email: sam.screaton@nhs.net.

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