Three weeks since the first Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered in Frodsham and Helsby, sixteen new GP-led services have now been rolled out across Cheshire.

This comes as both The Knoll and Helsby and Elton Practice notified patients that appointments for those over 80 who have been invited for their second dose this week will be honoured.

Patients have been requested to wait to be contacted about the vaccine rather than ringing up themselves, to help reduce the high volume of calls which GP surgeries are currently facing.

Frodsham GP Dr Chris Ritchieson, Medical Director at Cheshire West Integrated Care Partnership, said: "We understand that people are anxious to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

"However, please don't contact your GP practice, local hospital or council to seek a COVID-19 vaccine appointment – appointments cannot be made in this way.

Most people will receive their invitation to come forward for the vaccine in the form of a letter. This will contain all the information they need to book an appointment, including their NHS number, so it is important that they have it to hand when they arrange their slot.

When you are invited for a vaccine, please act on your invite and make sure you attend appointments when you arrange them.

Please continue to wear a face covering and abide by social distancing and hand hygiene guidance as, until the vaccine has been fully rolled out, this is the most effective way to save lives.

Avoiding Fraud

Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group has also issued some advice on avoiding scam telephone calls and correspondence.

Here are some ways of knowing that a message or call is not genuine:

• The vaccine is only available on the NHS for free to people in priority groups, and the NHS will contact you when it is your turn. Anyone offering a paid-for vaccine is committing a crime.

• The NHS will never ask you to press a button on your keypad or send a text to confirm you want the vaccine, and never ask for payment or for your bank details.

•At the moment we are also not making house calls to deliver or discuss the vaccine. Anyone offering this now is committing a crime.

More information is available on the Cheshire NHS CCG website.