Posted on Friday 8th September 2023
Staffordshire residents are being encouraged to get their autumn Covid booster and flu jab ahead of the colder months.
This year’s autumn flu and Covid-19 vaccination programme has been brought forward due to the discovery of a new BA.2.86 variant of Covid. Vaccinations will be made available from 11 September as a precautionary measure intended to protect the most vulnerable ahead of winter.
Those most at risk, including adult care home residents and clinically vulnerable people, will be the first to receive vaccinations. From 18 September, the NHS will start to invite people in priority order of risk and those eligible will be able to book an appointment through the National Booking Service. The annual flu jab will also be made available to these groups at the same time where possible.
Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Support Member for Public Health and Integrated Care, Paul Northcott, said:
“The emergence of a new variant is a stark reminder that Covid-19 is still circulating, and we must remain vigilant. It is vital that our most vulnerable residents receive a booster vaccine to strengthen their immunity and reduce the risk of becoming seriously ill.
I urge everyone who is eligible to take up the Covid booster and flu jab this autumn as soon as you are invited by the NHS. It is the best way to protect yourself and those around you ahead of winter, when viruses circulate more easily.”
People aged 75 and above, residents in care homes for older people, and those aged five and over with a weakened immune system will be eligible for the booster dose. A full list of eligible groups for the flu jab can be found on the NHS website.
Further details on the autumn covid booster vaccine are available on the gov.uk website.