Eligible groups are most at risk of developing severe illness from these respiratory illnesses.
“...if you are eligible please do take up the offer when you are contacted by the NHS. It’s free and will reduce your risk of complications from either virus”
KCC Director of Public Health, Dr Anjan Ghosh, said: “We have long lived with the flu virus and are all learning to live with COVID-19. However, these viruses remain life-threatening for some – particularly for our most vulnerable residents, such as older people and individuals who have underlying medical conditions including heart disease and diabetes.
“Ongoing surveillance by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) tells us seasonal vaccinations give added protection to those most at risk from COVID-19 and flu as vaccine effectiveness does wane over time. So, if you are eligible please do take up the offer when you are contacted by the NHS. It’s free and will reduce your risk of complications from either virus.”
Parents of school-aged children should also look out for a consent form from their school, and sign and return it to allow their child to be vaccinated.
Those qualifying for the flu vaccination from 1 September 2024 are:
- all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024
- primary school-aged children, from Reception to Year 6
- secondary school-aged children, from Year 7 to Year 11
- all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to under 18 years
- pregnant women
Those qualifying for the flu vaccination from October 2024 include:
- adults aged 65 years and over
- those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter 19). This includes pregnant women, individuals with chronic heart, kidney or liver disease, diabetes, or a weakened immune system (immunosuppression)
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer-led occupational health scheme
Those qualifying for the COVID-19 vaccination this Autumn are:
- adults aged 65 years and over
- residents in a care home for older adults
- individuals aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group (as defined in tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book). Pregnant women are included in the clinical risk group
- frontline NHS and social care workers and those working in care homes for older people
In May, NHS England told GP practices to plan for an ‘early October’ roll out of the COVID-19 autumn vaccination programme.
The NHS is set to confirm actual start dates for this Autumn’s COVID and flu vaccination campaigns shortly.
- Find out more about vaccines at www.getvaccinatednow.co.uk
