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About the flu jab

Our flu clinics are a really efficient and convenient way of protecting yourself from the flu this winter. You can get your annual flu jab at our surgery, quickly easily and for free under the NHS. The flu vaccination is available to help protect adults and children at risk of flu. Flu is not nice to have, but if you are otherwise healthy it will usually clear up on its own within a week.

General instructions:

• Flu vaccines this year will be given by appointment only to patients eligible (in an at-risk group below) Please do not come to the surgery without an appointment. We are awaiting further instruction from the government regarding the extended programme for 50-64-year-olds which is not expected to commence before November.

• We ask that patients do not arrive more than 5 minutes early for their given appointment time, to limit the numbers of patients in the building. Please come alone if you can, or with one carer if needed.

• Please be prepared to wait outside, and bring a coat or umbrella depending on the weather. Please wear a short sleeve top underneath any outer clothing so that the clinician has easy access to your upper arm to administer the vaccine. Coats and outer layers should be removed before entering the clinical room. A face covering must be worn at all times within the practice, please do not attend if you or a close contact have symptoms of COVID-19, or have had contact with a suspected/confirmed case.

• The person giving you your vaccine will be wearing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). This will be a mask and possibly an apron, visor or goggles. They won’t be wearing gloves but will wash and sanitise their hands in between patients. This is based on current guidance for vaccination clinics. They will also have to wipe down any chair or surfaces that have been in contact with patients. If you are able to stand for your vaccine this will really help us, but a chair will be available.

• If you are attending the surgery for another reason we may be able to give you your flu vaccine at that time (note there are some circumstances where we cannot give the vaccine such as if you are acutely unwell or have a temperature) If you are coming to see us please do ask if you can have your vaccine!

However, flu can be more severe in certain people, such as:

  • Anyone aged 65 and over
  • Pregnant women
  • Children and adults with an underlying health condition (particularly long-term heart or respiratory disease)
  • Children and adults with weakened immune systems

Anyone in these risk groups is more likely to develop potentially serious complications of flu, such as pneumonia (a lung infection), so it’s recommended that they have a flu vaccine every year to protect them.

The injected flu vaccine is offered free on the NHS annually to:

  • Adults over the age of 18 at risk of flu (including everyone aged 65 and over)
  • Pregnant women
  • Children aged six months to two years at risk of flu

65 and overs and the flu jab

You are eligible for the flu vaccine this year (2020-21) if you will be aged 65 and over on March 31 2020 – that is, you were born on or before March 31 1955. So, if you are currently 64 but will be 65 on March 31 2021, you do qualify.

Booking

If you fall into the categories above, you are entitled to a free flu jab. To get a vaccination in the above times you can just drop-in.

We recommend getting your flu jab in the autumn, from early September – November. However, if you miss this window don’t worry as you can book in later in winter.

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