Flu season 2022/23 and Coronavirus Autumn Boosters

 

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From September 2022, we will be offering eligible patients covid autumn boosters and flu vaccinations.

Influenza and Coronavirus vaccines remain vital for eligible patients. Both vaccines are safe and effective, providing protection from these serious illnesses. Where possible, these vaccines will be co-administered (both given at once).

A patient receiving a vaccination

 

Flu Vaccination eligibility

Seasonal flu vaccination is recommended each year for people with certain clinical conditions that could put them at risk. Initially, the practice will be starting with those over 75 or clinically vulnerable, eventually opening up to those aged 50-74.

Those eligible are also:

  • children aged 2 to 3 (Please note that children between the ages of 4 years and 10 years will be vaccinated at school and not in surgery)
  • pregnant women
  • those in long-stay residential care homes
  • carers

If there is a sufficient vaccine, the practice has subsequently been asked to vaccinate 50 to 64-year-olds not in clinical risk groups** (including those who turn 50 by 31 March 2023)

**For patients who have no underlying health conditions, it may be possible to vaccinate this cohort of patients. However, practices have been instructed not to vaccinate this group before the middle of October 2022 and only if a sufficient vaccine is available.

 

Coronavirus Vaccination eligibility

The detailed eligibility criteria for the Autumn Coronavirus Booster is:

  • Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
  • All adults aged 50 years and over
  • Persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group (including pregnant women)
  • Persons aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
  • Persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers

Frontline health and social care workers are also eligible, but should arrange vaccination via the national booking system.

 

Vaccination Dates

There is currently uncertainty regarding the delivery dates of our vaccines. Patients will be contacted once we get the vaccine in stock – please do not call us to check availability, we will contact you. Please ensure you have updated us with any recent changes in your contact details.

We are planning to deliver flu and coronavirus booster doses together for our housebound patients as well as our residential and care home patients and this will be a focus of the programme for delivery from September 2022.

 

Saturday clinics

Our Saturday clinics are extremely popular with our patients and we regularly vaccinate hundreds of patients on these dates. We are planning to run clinics on Saturdays in October, however, this will be contingent on vaccine availability.

 

Home Visits

If you are unable to attend the surgery for the flu jab and would like a home visit, we will contact you to arrange a home flu/covid vaccination. You do not need to contact the surgery.

 

Further information

For more information about how important it is to protect yourself from flu this winter by having a flu vaccination, please see the following link: Flu Vaccination Information

For helpful information and tips about winter health advice, winter illnesses and where to get help, as well as general information about keeping well this winter: Stay Well This Winter

For general information about flu, how to identify whether you have got it and how to treat it, please see: General Flu Information

Published: Sep 9, 2022