NHS England will invite round 12 million folks to e-book their Covid boosters on Friday, October 14, whereas encouraging the rollout of this 12 months’s flu vaccine, too.
It’s a part of the well being service’s scheme to deal with the potential “twindemic” this winter – simultaneous infections of Covid and flu.
So, from Friday, anybody aged 50 or over – or who will flip 50 by March 31, 2023 – will likely be capable of e-book their subsequent Covid booster on-line or over the cellphone.
It comes after the profitable booster scheme which rolled out final 12 months and helped to scale back the severity of Omicron signs through the winter months.
Greater than seven million folks aged 65 and over (together with these in danger) have already had their autumn Covid booster in simply over a month.
Shut to 2 million have already been delivered to those that have been eligible final week alone, with a report variety of websites providing the jab have opened within the final month.
Round 26 million individuals are eligible for an autumn Covid booster in whole in England.
NHS Chief Government Amanda Pritchard has mentioned the roll out is already off to “flying begin”, whereas heaping reward on the frontline staff.
She mentioned: “We’ve invited twice as many individuals as we did final autumn and we have now jabbed twice as many individuals as did final autumn.”
Those that will quickly be eligible for a Covid booster, in accordance with recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, embody:
- Residents in care houses for older adults
- Workers working in care houses for older adults
- Frontline well being and social care staff
- All adults aged 50 and over
- Anybody aged 5 to 49 in a medical danger group
- Anybody aged 5 to 49 who lives with immunosuppressed folks
- Anybody aged 16 to49 who’re carers
Flu jabs may even be out there to e-book on-line for these eligible beneath a brand new pilot scheme, with 200 new websites across the nation.
Individuals can nonetheless e-book flu jabs by means of their GPs or by strolling right into a taking part pharmacy.
Round 33 million folks in whole will likely be eligible for the flu vaccine this 12 months, together with kids who will obtain the flu nasal spray.
A complete record of people who find themselves eligible for a free flu jab in the intervening time:
- Individuals aged 50 and over
- These aged between six months and 49 years with a specified well being situation
- Some secondary school-aged kids
- Two and three year-olds
- Pregnant girls
- Main school-aged kids
- These in care houses
- People who find themselves carers and frontline well being staff
- Frontline social care workers
- Family contacts of individuals with weakened immune techniques
As chief medical adviser on the UK Well being Safety Company Dr Susan Hopkins mentioned: “The double risk of extensively circulating flu and Covid this 12 months is an actual concern, so it’s essential that you simply take up the free flu vaccine as quickly as doable in case you are supplied it.
“It is going to assist defend you from extreme flu this winter and even save your life.”
Steve Russell, NHS Director for Vaccinations and Screening defined: “Vaccinations are our strongest weapon towards these viruses and NHS workers are as soon as once more doing all they will to guard the general public.”
Some folks may need to rearrange two separate appointments for the covid vaccine and the flu vaccine, despite the fact that a whole lot of websites will administer them each.
Pritchard added: “it’s important to get your safety towards each Covid and flu, so please come ahead and e-book in when you’ll be able to.”
Extra individuals are more likely to get the flu this winter, as a result of decreased transmission all through the pandemic. It may be life-threatening for some folks.
It’s additionally vital to get the vaccine for it as a result of when you get flu and Covid on the identical time, chances are you’ll be critically unwell.
