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More on KentOnline
With the news the country is under a national lockdown again and could be until March, it's important people due to get a vaccine get theirs as quickly as possible.
It is also essential as many people as possible get tested to help beat the virus, so we have put together a handy list of everything you need to know about both testing and the vaccine.
Covid-19 testing (Asymptomatic without symptoms)
Mass testing for those without symptoms will be available right across Kent and anyone who lives or works in the county can go online and book a test at one of 14 sites opening tomorrow scattered around the county. Some are already open.
Targeted asymptomatic testing, organised by Kent County Council (KCC), began on the Isle of Sheppey last month at Sheerness East Working Men's Club in Queenborough Road, Halfway.
The fast coronavirus testing station, along with the one at Ramsgate Port - which opened on the same day, were set up to help bring down the infection rates in the county.
Medway was the first to open testing sites across the Medway towns on December 5.
When are testing sites open?
All symptom-free testing sites will be open every day from 9am to 7pm from tomorrow.
Key workers and their families have already been receiving invites to book as a priority to support the NHS and other frontline services.
When the 14 sites are open, there will be capacity for more than 13,000 tests across Kent every day.
Since opening on December 17 there have been more than 8,800 tests carried out at the sites on Sheppey and in Ramsgate.
KCC leader Cllr Roger Gough said: “Rapid testing, combined with additional resources in contact tracing, means we will be able make significant strides in identifying and containing the virus across the county."
Health officials hope asymptomatic testing will be a crucial turning point in the fight against the virus
What is Asymptomatic testing?
Asymptomatic testing is to find people who don’t have symptoms but might be unknowingly spreading the virus.
People attending the sites will take a lateral flow swab test and should receive their result within half-an-hour.
If they are positive, they will be told to self-isolate, follow the national guidance and instructed to have a further test to confirm their positive result.
If they are negative, they must still continue to observe social distancing guidelines, wear a mask in public and regularly wash their hands.
Here are all the places you can book a symptom-free test.
Testing sites in Kent when you have symptoms
There are several different ways to get a coronavirus test in the county, depending on whether you are currently receiving hospital care or not.
If you are not a hospital patient but need a test for coronavirus, you can get tested in the county using the national booking website, but only if you have symptoms.
Appointments at testing sites are released when they are available and if there is nothing locally available when you try the website, wait for a few minutes and try again.
You can only go to a testing site if you have an appointment. Testing kits sent to you through the post can also be booked on the website.
Kent's hospitals, GP surgeries and walk-in centres are not doing Covid-19 tests for the general public.
Do not go to local health services to ask for a Covid-19 test. If you have symptoms you should self-isolate and keep trying to book a test through the website.
When should you get tested?
You need to have a test in the first five days of having coronavirus symptoms. You should ask for a test if you have symptoms now.
On days one to four of your symptoms, you can get tested at a site or at home. If you're ordering a home test kit on day four, do it by 3pm.
On day five, you need to go to a test site. It's too late to order a home test kit.
If you are not able to get a test in the first five days of having symptoms, you and anyone you live with must stay at home to self-isolate and anyone in your support bubble must also self-isolate.
If you are having a planned procedure at a NHS hospital, the staff looking after your care will arrange with you to have a test. This may mean that a test kit is sent to you by post, or staff may arrange for you to have a test at hospital in the days before your procedure.
Where will my test be?
For people with symptoms tests are available through the national booking website, at sites in Kent and Medway including drive through centres, including those in Rochester, Canterbury, Margate and Folkestone, home testing by post, and mobile units operating in the county. Here is a handy list of all the testing sites in the county.
Covid-19 vaccines
Vaccines are being offered to about a million adults in Kent and Medway but who gets them first has been set nationally by the government.
It will take several months to co-ordinate the roll out and people will be contacted when the vaccine is available for them.
People are being urged to be patient and not contact their GP surgery, other NHS services or the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group about when you will be able to get the jab.
What is the priority list for getting the vaccine?
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), has set up the priority groups being offered the vaccine first and the priority list is the same for both vaccines.
Residents in care homes for older adults and their carers.
All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers.
All those 75 years of age and over.
All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals.
All those 65 years of age and over. All individuals aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality.
All those 60 years of age and over.
All those 55 years of age and over.
All those 50 years of age and over.
More about the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
This vaccine does not contain any components of animal origin and is given in two doses.
The second dose is given between three to 12 weeks after the first dose.
At the end of December, new guidance was given to the NHS on rolling out the vaccine to maximise the number of people from the priority groups receiving a first dose.
This means second doses will typically be scheduled for around 12 weeks after the first.
The vaccine is given as an injection into the muscle of your upper arm.
More about the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine
The vaccine was approved for use in the UK on December 30 and also doesn't contain any components of animal origin.
This vaccine is also given in two doses. The second dose is given between four to 12 weeks after the first dose.
And again to maximise the number of people from the priority groups receiving a first dose, the second one will usually be scheduled for about 12 weeks after the first and again, is given as an injection into the muscle of your upper arm.
Can I pay for the vaccines privately?
The simple answer is no, the Covid-19 vaccination is available only through the NHS to eligible groups and it is free.
If you are offered or see the vaccine being advertised anywhere as something you can pay for it will be a scam and you should not follow it up.
Please be alert to these scams as the NHS will never ask you to press a button on your keypad to confirm you want a vaccine and will never ask for payment for the vaccine or for your bank details.
If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you believe you have been the victim of fraud you should report it to Action Fraud on 0300 1232040, or call Kent Police by calling 101 if the victim is vulnerable.
Where are the vaccine sites in Kent?
There are many places dotted around the county where people can get the jab.
When you are contacted about getting yours you will be either sent to a hospital, a GP surgery or other NHS site.
GP surgeries are working together in groups to provide the vaccine and will use one site for each network group.
If your surgery is not in highlighted, the message is be patient as the Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group is expanding the vaccine to more areas in the coming weeks.
On Friday more sites where revealed as part of the second and third phases of roll out.
