The flu vaccination is available every year on the NHS to help protect adults and children at risk from flu and its complications. It’s really important for you to get your vaccine as it will help keep you and your loved ones well this winter.
GP surgeries will be contacting patients soon to invite them to book their appointment. You can also have your vaccination at your local pharmacy. Flu can be really serious for people with underlying health conditions and can lead to being in hospital.
Each year the vaccination is free for people most ‘at risk’ of having severe flu:
• Anyone aged 65 and over
• Pregnant women
• Children and adults aged 6 months to 65 years with an underlying health condition (such as long-term heart or respiratory disease, weakened immune system or have a learning disability)
• Children aged 2 and 3 on 31 August 2020
• Children in primary school
• Carers
• People living in long stay residential care homes
• Frontline health or social care workers
This year it has also been expanded to include the following
• Those on the NHS Shielded Patients List
• People living with someone who's at high risk from coronavirus (on the NHS shielded patient list)
• Children in year 7 (secondary school)
• People aged 50 to 64 without a long-term condition (from November onwards if sufficient flu vaccine is available)
If you are not eligible for a flu vaccine but would like to have one you can pay to have one at your local pharmacy or GP practice. But please can you do this later in the year to ensure those in the vulnerable groups are vaccinated first. There may be some changes this year on how the flu clinic will be run due to the coronavirus pandemic. You will see those giving you the vaccination wearing gloves, a face mask or a plastic apron. Please don’t be alarmed – this is in place to help keep you and staff safe.