Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Updated 21 June 2022

Living with Covid 

We appreciate everything you, your family and your friends have done over the past two years to protect each other and the West Berkshire community.

By following the guidance on protecting the whole community and supporting the vaccination scheme, we find ourselves at a new point in the Covid-19 journey.

We are now learning to live safely with Covid, and the Government have updated their guidance on best practice for doing so, which you can read here. A big part of that is ensuring that you are fully vaccinated.

Getting your Vaccinations

Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective. They give you the best protection against Covid-19.

• Everyone aged five and older can get a first and second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
• People aged 16 and older, and some children aged 12 to 15, can also get a booster dose.
• People aged 12 and older who had a severely weakened immune system when they had their first two doses, will be offered a third dose and a booster (fourth dose)
• People aged 75 and older, people who live in care homes for older people, and people aged 12 and over who have a weakened immune system will be offered a spring booster.

You can book in for a Covid-19 vaccine through the NHS website, or by calling 119.

You do not need to be registered with a GP, show your immigration status, or have an NHS number to get the vaccine. 

On 29 March the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced the changes and how we all will now be living with Covid-19, you can read his statement and further details here.As of 1 April, free testing for Covid-19 will end for most residents. You may still be able to get free rapid lateral flow tests if you work for the NHS or in social care, are going into hospital, or are at high risk of getting seriously ill from Covid-19.

We know how important it is to understand these groups, the Government has outlined them in further detail here.

If you would like to find out more on local COVID-19 data, such as infection rates, please visit the Berkshire Public Health website.

If you would like to find out about travel, to and from the UK, please visit the dedicated page on the Government website.