Health and wellbeing
Winter vaccination programme gets underway
Published on
With the winter season fast approaching, the NHS Winter vaccine programme offering free flu and COVID-19 vaccines to eligible people starts this week (11 September 2023).
Care home residents and those most at risk will be first to receive a dose.
The offer will then be opened up to eligible people from 18 September. Frontline health and social care workers, people aged 65 and over, pregnant women, carers and those who have certain health conditions will be among those eligible. Household contacts of people with a weakened immune system will also be able to take up the offer.
The NHS has been asked to bring the programme forward and will be working quickly to ensure as many eligible people as possible are vaccinated by the end of October due to the potential risks presented by the COVID-19 variant BA.2.86.
The annual flu vaccine will be made available to these groups at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine, where possible, to ensure they are protected ahead of winter.
Eligible people will be able to book an appointment via the National Booking System week commencing 18 September. Appointments will also be available on the NHS App or by calling 119.
In addition, children have been prioritised to get the flu vaccine. School aged children will be able to get the flu vaccine at school through their school’s vaccination programme. Pupils will receive parental consent forms before vaccinations are scheduled to take place in their school.
Children aged between two and three, as well as those with long-term health conditions, will be able to get their flu vaccine at their GP practice.
“ As we move into Autumn, we need to think about ensuring we get ourselves the best protection for the winter period, when a range of respiratory viruses start to circulate. Vaccination is our best defence against illnesses like COVID-19 and flu and reduces our risk of becoming seriously unwell. Therefore, I would urge everyone who is eligible for either or both vaccines to come forward as soon as possible.
Alongside vaccination, it is also important that we continue to take simple steps to reduce our risk of catching and spreading illnesses. Stay home if you feel unwell, catch coughs and sneezes with a tissue and practice regular hand washing. “
“ The NHS has now set out plans for the next phase of the COVID-19 and flu vaccination
programme. Vaccinations are our best defence against flu and COVID-19 ahead of what could be a very challenging winter.
It’s important to remember that COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, and with the potential for this new COVID-19 variant to increase the risk of infection, we are following the latest expert guidance and bringing the vaccination programme forward with people able to get their flu vaccine at the same time to maximise protection. So, I would encourage anyone who receives an invite for either vaccine to please get booked in as soon as possible. “
Calls to 119 are free from mobiles and landlines and the booking service provides support in 200 different languages.
Residents who have difficulties communicating or hearing or are a BSL user can use textphone 18001 or the NHS 119 British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter service.
For more information on the COVID-19 autumn vaccine visit the GOV.UK website. For more information on the flu vaccine, visit the NHS website.
ENDS
Notes to editor:
- On 30 August 2023, it was announced that vaccinations are set to start on 11 September 2023 as a precautionary measure following the identification of a new COVID-19 variant. Read the full press release on GOV.UK. The NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board issued a follow-up press release on 4 September 2023.
- The advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for this autumn, is to offer the vaccine to those at high risk of serious disease from COVID-19 and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination.
- GOV.UK has published guides on the COVID-19 autumn programme and the flu vaccination: who should have it and why (winter 2023 to 2024).
