Flu Vaccination Programme 2021
We would encourage all our eligible patients to have a flu vaccination this year. Not only is Covid-19 continuing to circulate this winter, but it is expected that a higher proportion of the population could get flu this winter as lockdown is over and restrictions regarding social distancing and wearing of face masks is easing. There is immense pressure on the NHS at the moment and we want to play our part in reducing this as much as possible by ensuring as many patients as possible are vaccinated against flu.
Unfortunately, we were not able to start our flu vaccination programme as early as we would have liked this year because there were issues surrounding delivery of vaccines due to the national road freight problems.
However, we will soon have our vaccines for both our over 65’s and our under 65’s and at-risk patients.
If you are in one of the groups listed below you can now book your flu vaccination with us. We would ask that if possible, you book via online services as this will reduce phone traffic into the surgery. If you are unable to book online, please phone the surgery after 11:00 Monday to Friday.
Eligible Groups
- People aged 65 (by 31st March 2022) and over
- People aged 50 years or over
- Those aged from six months (see children’s clinic below) to less than 50 years of age, in a clinical risk group, such as those with:
- Chronic (long term) respiratory disease, such as severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis
- Chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
- Chronic kidney disease at stage three, four or five
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease or motor neurone disease
- Learning disability
- Diabetes
- Splenic dysfunction or asplenia
- A weakened immune system due to disease (HIV/AIDS) or treatment (such as cancer treatment)
- Morbidly obese (defined as BMI of 40 and above)
- All pregnant women
- Household contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- People living in long-stay residential care homes or other long stay care facilities
- Those who are in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or who are the main carer of an older or disabled person
- Health and social care staff, employed by a registered residential care/nursing home
- Frontline primary care health care workers (whether registered at the practice or not)
Children’s Clinics
Children aged two and three years old on 31st August 2021 will be offered the vaccination in the Practice.
This year, all school children will be offered the vaccination through a school immunisation service.
Clinic Dates
The following clinics will be pre-bookable only.
Over 65s Only – Saturday 16th October 2021 – Parkside Hall
Under 65s and at-risk patients – Saturday 23rd October 2021 – Parkside Hall
All Eligible Adult Patients – Saturday 27th November 2021 – Parkside Hall
What to expect upon arrival?
As last year, we have put additional measures in place to keep patients safe in our flu clinics. We have carefully planned appointments to minimise waiting times and maintain social distancing. We will be operating a strict one way flow for patients whilst in the building.
Please look out for signage of which entrance to use. It is most likely that patients with surnames A-J will come in via a separate entrance to those with surnames K-Z
Please walk to Parkside if easily able to do so, as we will be vaccinating a large number of patients and this could cause traffic issues.
Please arrive at your specified time slot.
Please ensure that you wear a face mask.