Get vaccinated and boost your winter protection

This wintertime, both COVID-19 and flu may well flow into at high levels, probably at the exact time.

Ahead of what could be a complicated period, tens of millions of individuals are staying available vaccination to assistance shield them in excess of the coming months.

There is evidence to clearly show that if you get flu and COVID-19 at the exact time you are at larger possibility of becoming significantly unwell. As this is the to start with winter season since COVID-19 emerged without restrictions in put, the greatest way to protect your self from obtaining unwell from either is to get vaccinated.

We are urging all qualified people today to get vaccinated as before long as attainable to strengthen their protection towards these viruses, which also allows to shield other individuals and the NHS.

Why do we get vaccinated per year for flu?

Every 12 months, the flu period is distinct. Diverse strains of flu circulate and the quantities of individuals who get flu change. This usually means we have to have a little various vaccines just about every 12 months.

To structure the vaccine for every single new period, experts appear at the good results of the previous year’s vaccine, information from past flu seasons and surveillance from all over the earth demonstrating which strains are creating people today ill.

All this details is used to determine which strains go into the upcoming vaccine, supplying the very best probability of a large amount of protection.

Flu is unpleasant for most individuals but it can have critical penalties for some, specifically those people with particular well being problems. It can induce significant disease and in some situation be lifetime threatening.

There was document uptake of the flu jab in people today aged 65 and around in 2021/22 (82%), though there was lower uptake among the individuals in medical hazard teams and expecting ladies and these groups are notably inspired to arrive forward this year.

Why is it specially vital to get vaccinated for flu this winter season?

Extra people are predicted to get unwell with flu this 12 months as significantly less normal immunity has been constructed up above the past couple of winters when flu was stopped from circulating greatly owing to COVID-19 measures.

Also in the southern hemisphere nations these kinds of as Australia seasoned flu circulating before than normal in their winter season season.

Younger children in specific are unlikely to have crafted up any organic immunity to flu, which is why it’s critical that they get the vaccine this calendar year. It’s currently being made available to little ones in the type of a quick and pain-free nasal spray.

In addition to the predicted flu wave, we have early sign that COVID-19 fees are commencing to rise forward of wintertime, escalating the menace to people’s health in a so-named ‘twindemic’ situation.

Who is eligible for the flu vaccine?

The once-a-year flu vaccine is remaining provided to:

• People with extensive-term overall health conditions
• Individuals aged 50 and around (starting from mid-Oct)*
• Expecting women
• Those people in extensive-stay household residences
• Unpaid carers (obtain a carer’s allowance or are the major carer for an older or disabled man or woman who may well be at danger if the carer gets sick)
• Shut contacts of immunosuppressed persons
• Frontline health and fitness and social treatment workers who simply cannot get the vaccine through an occupational wellness plan at operate
• All children aged 2 or 3 a long time on 31 August 2022
• All major college aged little ones and some secondary college aged little ones

*If you are in this age group and have a prolonged-time period wellbeing situation that puts you at threat from flu, you do not have to wait around until finally mid-Oct.

There are several kinds of flu vaccine. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) evaluations the newest evidence on influenza vaccines every calendar year and endorses the kind of vaccine to be available to individuals.

Encouraged vaccines fluctuate according to age.  You will be provided just one that is most powerful for you. Young children aged 2 to 17 a long time aged are offered a rapid and pain-free nasal spray vaccine.

Why do some individuals will need a booster versus COVID-19?

COVID-19 vaccination has been given incrementally following proof that even though the vaccines are hugely powerful, immunity wanes more than time.

Booster doses noticeably raise immunity and in those who are most susceptible to the worst consequences of COVID-19, finding a booster will decrease the quantities of persons who require hospitalisation or die.

We are all knowledgeable that COVID-19 can bring about critical illness and that it is more harmful in sure teams, these as the aged and those people with suppressed immune units.

Due to the fact circumstances generally rise throughout the winter months, it’s truly vital that all those eligible get boosted to up their immunity degrees.

Who is eligible for the COVID-19 booster?

The booster is staying supplied to:

• People today aged 5 and over with extended-time period wellness situations
• Those aged 50 and above
• Pregnant girls
• These in very long-stay household care homes
• Unpaid carers
• Shut contacts of immunosuppressed persons
• Frontline well being and social care specialists

If you are in one particular of these groups, you should be available an appointment concerning September and December.

These at highest chance will be known as initially. It really should be at least 3 months after your last dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines on supply give a pretty higher degree of security against the virus and greatly reduce the odds of an unique becoming significantly unwell and demanding hospitalisation.

Most people will acquire the subsequent generation mix edition of the booster vaccine, which involves a 50 percent dose of the earlier vaccine mixed with a 50 percent dose against the Omicron variant.

For a quite smaller variety of people today a different vaccine product may well be suggested by their doctor.

How do I get vaccinated?

Some folks who are qualified for both of those will be made available their flu and COVID-19 vaccines in a person appointment, but most people will get them individually.

All those qualified for the flu vaccine can ebook an appointment with their GP or at a pharmacy which features the vaccine on the NHS. You might acquire an invitation to get the vaccine but you do not want to hold out for this to e book your appointment. If you are expecting you will be ready to get the vaccine from some maternity services or your GP.

Children suitable for the flu vaccine will acquire the nasal spray. People suitable who have not yet started off principal university will get the vaccine at their GP observe. For all those small children in most important college, they will obtain the vaccine at school as soon as mom and dad have signed and returned a consent variety.

The countrywide reserving assistance for COVID-19 vaccination is now open up for autumn boosters. People today aged above 65, all those who are immunosuppressed, men and women who are pregnant and entrance-line wellness and social care staff are now capable to ebook an appointment.

Every person who is eligible for the free flu vaccine will be able to get it.

GP surgical procedures and pharmacies get the flu vaccine in batches all through the flu season. If you simply cannot get an appointment straight absent, check with if you can book just one for when a lot more vaccines are accessible.

Check out nhs.united kingdom/wintervaccinations for more info on who is qualified and how to ebook.