Children in the Moorlands will be offered a flu vaccine, as the NHS steps up its life-saving vaccination programme to protect the region against viruses ahead of winter.
School aged children will be able to get the flu vaccine at school or at community clinics, and those with long term health conditions can also get the vaccine at GP practices. Children aged two and three years will be offered the vaccine at their GP practice.
The NHS winter flu and Covid-19 vaccination programme provides vital protection to those eligible and their families over winter, keeping people from developing serious illnesses, and helping to minimise hospitalisations during busy winter months.
The NHS will start by prioritising flu vaccinations for children, to prevent children from getting seriously ill from flu and ending up hospital, and to break the chain of transmission of the virus to the wider population.
NHS England have now advised that COVID and flu vaccinations should begin earlier than planned, starting this week (11th September). This is due to a new COVID variant which has been identified in the UK and whose impact is currently unknown. Those most vulnerable will be the priority for vaccinations such as care home residents and immunosuppressed individuals. Following that, eligible adults will be offered both flu and Covid-19 vaccinations to maximise protection across the winter months and into the new year.
As in previous years, the NHS will let eligible people know when bookings open. Most eligible individuals will be receiving text messages or letters from the 18th September but those who are pregnant, are a carer or a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed should look to book their appointments without receiving an invite.
Covid-19 vaccination appointments will be available through the National Booking System, or by calling 119 for those who can’t get online. Flu vaccines will also be available through local GP practices and pharmacies.
Having adult flu and Covid-19 vaccinations at the same time will make it easier for more people to choose to get both life-saving vaccines in the same visit, which is a more convenient way for people to get vital protection from both viruses ahead of winter.
Dr Lorna Clarson, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board, said: “Vaccinations are our best defence against flu and Covid-19 ahead of what could be a very challenging winter.
“As it always does, the NHS will help protect people against these viruses, first offering protection to children to help stop the spread of flu, then offering eligible adults both vaccines to ensure maximum protection.
“The NHS will work quickly to ensure all those eligible are offered these lifesaving vaccinations ahead of the winter months and you will be invited when it’s your turn, so please come forward to get your protection against both covid and flu when invited – it will help protect you and those around you.
“It is important that those eligible this year come forward for their vaccinations as protection fades over time, and the virus that causes flu can change from year to year.”
In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, those eligible for a flu vaccine this year include:
- those aged 65 years and over
- those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, chapter 19 (Influenza))
- pregnant women
- all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2023
- school-aged children (from Reception to Year 11)
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants
Those eligible for an autumn Covid-19 booster are:
- residents in a care home for older adults
- all adults aged 65 years and over
- persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book, COVID-19 chapter (Green Book)
- frontline health and social care workers
- persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts (as defined in the Green Book) of people with immunosuppression
- persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers (as defined in the Green Book) and staff working in care homes for older adults.
