11. How can I access the COVID-19 vaccine?
In
England, NHS England have
now confirmed that all dentists, teams and support staff – in both NHS and private settings – will receive priority access to the COVID vaccine. This is welcome news for all dentists and team members across England.
In terms of next steps:
- High street NHS dentists and teams - sit tights and wait, you are on the list.
- Dentists working in trusts - your HR will have matters in hand.
- Private practices - you will be covered, but you
must ensure your
CQC accounts are up to date. This data will be passed to the vaccination programme for follow up.
-
Locum dentists - Locums who are working with a practice can be done as part of that practice, and that locums between employment aren't patient facing and so are not part of the priority group at this time. NHS England have acknowledged that some falling between the cracks, but have said that they are looking for solutions and will update the profession shortly.
The message is
do not contact your GP, you will be on the list and will be contacted to receive your priority access to the vaccine.
In
Northern Ireland, General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) and their frontline staff should now be able to schedule their COVID-19 vaccinations. Details on how to do this have been sent to GDPs by the Health and Social Care Northern Ireland. This follows the assurances we sought, that dentists and their teams working on the frontline would be prioritised and receive their vaccinations early in the roll-out.
In
Scotland, most NHS Boards have started vaccinating dentists and their teams. Where this is not yet the case – for example, in NHS Highland – the Board has indicated that it plans to begin vaccinations by the end of January. We have contacted the NHS Highland to express concerns about the delay there, and we continue to liaise with the Scottish Government to ensure dentists and their teams are prioritised during the early rollout of vaccinations.
In
Wales, the CDO confirmed that dental teams, including those in private practices, would be invited to receive the COVID-19 vaccination in the second phase of roll-out following the most vulnerable group.
The Minister for Health and Social Services established the new
Primary Care COVID-19 Immunisation Service (PCCIS). This is a national contracting mechanism for Health Boards to engage providers to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations from within Primary Care. Some dentists have already started to receive the jab, although the speed of roll-out might vary between Health Boards.
12. If I'm vaccinated, is full PPE essential?
Yes. Even once vaccinated, it is essential that dentists and dental teams continue to follow the
infection control guidance currently in place.
There are several reasons for this. As government guidance states, it may take a week or two for your body to
build up some protection from the first dose of vaccine. We also know that some people may still get COVID-19 despite having a vaccination, and while this should be less severe, taking precautions reduces this risk.
More importantly, while a full course of the vaccine will reduce your chance of becoming seriously ill, it is not yet known whether it will stop you from catching and passing on the virus. It is expected to reduce this risk, however, until more is known you should continue to follow the guidance to help reduce transmission and protect those around you.
13. Is the COVID-19 vaccination mandatory?
Whilst the BDA believes the COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and essential, it is not compulsory to have the COVID-19 vaccination. The vaccine is important in our fight against coronavirus, but practices should be aware that they cannot insist that staff have the vaccine when it is offered.
We suggest that practices discuss the vaccination with all members of the dental team. Concerns about the vaccine should be discussed in good time and sensitively.
Pregnant members of the dental team may wish to consult this
explainer on COVID-19 and fertility, compiled by Victoria Male, Lecturer in Reproductive Immunology at Imperial College London. It provides evidence-based answers to questions you might have regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility.
Pregnant members of the dental team are also advised to speak to their doctor before receiving the vaccine. You may also wish to review the advice produced by the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), on
pregnancy and vaccination, and on
vaccination misinformation.
The University of Bristol has produced a helpful
Communications Handbook on this. Nevertheless, after a discussion, if a member of the dental team refuses to have the vaccine, the practice has to accept that decision. In any event, practices should ensure that all members of the dental team continue to adhere to the standard operating procedures and to practice policies and procedures. The situation is no different for associates.
14. What about staff returning from abroad?
If you arrive in England from anywhere outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man you need to
self-isolate for 10 days
. You must also have
proof of a negative coronavirus test
to travel to the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands from outside.
Travel to the UK from a number of countries is currently banned, here's the
list of banned countries
.
See the latest
government guidance for travel to England
.
Northern Ireland
and Wales currently follow the same guidelines as England. If you are in Scotland, please refer to the
specific advice from the Scottish Government .
15. What if I'm pregnant?
The available guidance
Please note, the following is based on the
current available government advice.
If staff follow correct procedures - undertake risk assessments and act on outcomes plus wear appropriate PPE - we understand that the dental environment is a safe one and that pregnant members of the dental team can continue to work safely. We now have established Standard Operating Procedures and a good supply of PPE which gives members of the dental team substantial protection against catching coronavirus.
A common-sense approach
As would be expected, managers and other team members must be mindful of colleagues who are pregnant. The following of all practice policies (such as wearing the correct PPE, hand washing and social distancing) to avoid transmission of the virus between team members is essential. Masks should be worn throughout the practice in staff rooms and other non clinical areas where other staff are around.
If you are pregnant and working in a dental practice, it seems right that you wear a mask and follow infection control procedures at all times, no matter your gestation.
Contracting COVID-19 just before or at the time of birth, would obviously bring substantial challenges to all involved and is best avoided, so the closer the pregnancy gets to the due date, the more the practice should be prepared to show flexibility over the parental leave arrangements. See
government guidance for further information.
There should also be careful risk assessments for pregnant team members in a patient-facing roles with appropriate arrangements to sufficiently minimise their exposure to the virus, taking into account individual risk factors.
Pregnant - in patient-facing clinical role
Pregnant - in patient-facing administrative role
Pregnant - in non-patient-facing administrative role
Pregnant - in non-patient-facing decontamination/cleaning role
Self-employed
Pregnant self-employed members of the dental team are free to make their own decision as to whether they work or not; that said, we urge members to work together constructively to ensure that risks are kept to a minimum.
Vaccination and pregnancy
Pregnant members of the dental team are advised to speak to their doctor before receiving the vaccine. You may wish to review the advice produced by the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), on
pregnancy and vaccination, and on
vaccination misinformation. You may also wish to consult this
explainer on COVID-19 and fertility, compiled by Victoria Male, Lecturer in Reproductive Immunology at Imperial College London. It provides evidence-based answers to questions you might have regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility.
16. How can I support ethnic minority staff?
Emerging evidence shows that ethnic minority communities may be disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Organisations should ensure that line managers are supported to have sensitive and comprehensive conversations with their ethnic minority staff. They should identify any underlying health conditions that may increase the risks for them in undertaking their roles. These conversations should also, on an ongoing basis, consider the feelings of affected colleagues, particularly regarding their physical safety and mental health.
It is also important to note in this context, that PPE fit-testing requires men to shave their beards. Men who do not wish to shave their facial hair for religious reasons are currently being advised to wear a PPE hood instead and tuck it into their gown.
17. What do I need to know about redeployment?
Many dentists and dental staff have volunteered for redeployment during the pandemic. Some are working in urgent care settings, or providing remote advice. Others are taking the opportunity to work in different arenas and learn new skills.
We recommend that you read our
financial impact page for more information and use our
Redeployed Duties and Training Log
on a daily basis to keep track of your work, as you may need these records later. We also urge members to contact
BDA Health Assured if you find your mental wellbeing is under stress during this challenging time.
When returning to work after redeployment, we recommend you discuss the situation with your practice and reach an agreement on how best to reintegrate.