COVID-19 Vaccination Centre Information

General information:

  • Aqua Pharmacy is delighted to have been selected to deliver the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme.
  • We will be delivering the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. For more information about the vaccine, please visit the government website HERE.
  • For information about the vaccine and booking process, please visit the NHS website HERE.
  • Due to the particularly high work load at the moment and Aqua Pharmacy’s need to continue dispensing as usual, we are unable to take telephone enquiries regarding the COVID-19 vaccination programme. There is very little additional information that we are able to offer beyond what is already publicly provided by the NHS. Please refrain from calling us about your appointment, information about the vaccine or the booking system. This information is all available from the NHS and via the links provided on this page.
  • You will not be charged for your vaccination.
  • Please do not arrive significantly early for your appointment as we may not be able to accommodate you until the time of your appointment.
  • You must wear a face covering.
  • Do not attend your appointment if you have tested positive for COVID-19 28 days prior to your appointment or if you have COVID-19 symptoms. Symptoms include a new persistent cough, fever or high temperature, loss of taste and/or loss of smell. If this is the case then please self isolate for 14 days in line with national guidance.

Booking your appointment:

  • You will be contacted by the NHS with information to book your vaccination appointments. This will most likely be in the form of a letter. You may also receive a text message. This will instruct you on the booking procedure via the National Booking System.
  • The vaccination is currently being offered in the following order to:
    . People aged 80 or over
    . People aged 70 or over
    . People who are high risk (clinically extremely vulnerable)
    If you are within one of these categories and have not yet been contacted, be patient. You might not get your letter straight away. Do not try to contact the NHS or local health services for a vaccination before then.
  • You will need to have 2 doses of the vaccine.
  • Book both appointments at the same time.
  • Get the second dose 11 to 12 weeks after your first dose.
  • Choose Aqua Pharmacy, Duke Street, Ipswich if you would like your vaccination done with us.
  • You need to be registered with a GP surgery.
  • All patients must be pre-booked via the NHS booking system. We are unable to do this on your behalf or advise as to when you will be invited to book.
  • Click HERE for more information about booking your appointment, once you have received your letter from the NHS.

Attending your appointment:

  • You must wear a face covering.
  • Please do not arrive significantly early for your appointment as we may not be able to accommodate you until the time of your appointment.
  • You may need to queue outside of Aqua Pharmacy. Ensure that you are wearing warm clothing and have an umbrella.
  • When your space is available, you will be welcomed into the COVID vaccination centre reception by our door staff. We obviously hope that we will be able to bring you inside quickly, however this is dependent on how busy the centre is at the time.
  • You will be checked in using your booking reference number by our admin staff.
  • You will then be seated in the waiting area. This is a socially distanced area that also makes use of plastic screens to keep everyone separated.
  • You will be called into a treatment room by a vaccinator where you will need to answer some simple questions about your medical history and will then receive an injection of the vaccine into your upper arm.
  • Once the vaccination is done you may wait for a few minutes in the waiting area to be observed.
  • The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that we will be delivering does not require you to be observed for a prolonged period, however you may remain for a few minutes if you would like to.
  • You can then leave and return in 11-12 weeks time at your second booked appointment to receive your second dose.
  • Click HERE for more information about what happens at your appointment.

What to bring to your appointment:

  • Your booking reference number that you get after you have booked your appointment using the National Booking System.
  • Your face covering.
  • Warm clothing.
  • If you need a chaperone or carer then you can bring them with you on the day.

Aqua Pharmacy location and operating hours:

  • The Aqua Pharmacy COVID vaccination centre is located inside of Aqua Pharmacy, Duke Street, Ipswich, IP3 0AQ. Opposite Bella Napoli, in front of the traffic lights where Pownall Road meets Duke Street.
  • There is a “Pay and Display” car park just off of Duke Street, accessible via University Avenue.
  • The buses 1 and 2 stop by the University of Suffolk and the H66 stops outside of Tesco. All of which are about a 50 metre walk from the pharmacy.
  • Aqua Pharmacy is open 8:00am – 6:30pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am – 6:00pm Saturday.
  • The Aqua Pharmacy COVID vaccination centre will be open 8:00am – 8:00pm Monday to Sunday.
  • At the times when the vaccination centre is open but the pharmacy is not, clients will be able to access the vaccination centre as normal, but the pharmacy operations will not be accessible.
  • We are able to accommodate mobility aids, however if you are able to walk, we would appreciate mobility scooters being left outside under the supervision of our door staff.

We look forward to welcoming you to our COVID-safe vaccination clinic.
All other Aqua Pharmacy services will continue to operate as normal.

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