The National Flu Campaign 2020-21

Byhowbeck

The National Flu Campaign 2020-21

The biggest influenza vaccination programme ever planned started in September 2020. With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s Flu campaign is much more challenging to deliver than in previous years.

Those most at risk of flu are also most vulnerable to Covid-19.
If you are aged over 65 or are under 65 with long term health conditions, we urge you to contact the surgery on 01283 790316:

• to book an appointment for your flu vaccination
• or let us know if you wish to decline your flu vaccination

As a reminder, below is a list of patients who are eligible for the NHS Flu vaccination:

• All patients aged 65 and over on 31 March 2021 (i.e. born on or before 31 March 1956)
• Pregnant women
• All patients aged six months to 64 years in the usual at risk groups – chronic respiratory, heart, kidney, liver, neurological diseases and diabetes, people on immune suppressants, and absence or dysfunction of the spleen (includes coeliac disease)
• Carers
• Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals     
• Health and social care staff employed by a registered residential care/nursing home, registered domiciliary care provider, or a voluntary managed hospice provider
• Children aged  two to ten on 31 August 2020 – school aged children will be vaccinated in school

This year the list of eligible people has been expanded to include:

• Household contacts of those on the NHS Shielded Patient List. These are people sharing living accomodation and therefore in close contact with a shielded person on most days over the winter
• Health and social care workers employed through Direct Payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants, to deliver domiciliary care to patients and service users
• All patients aged 50-64 years of age
  Please note that the Government plans that the 50-64 year age group will be vaccinated in November and December. No further details are available yet
• Children of Year 7 age in secondary schools (aged 11 on 31 August 2020)

You can be reassured that we are delivering the Flu vaccination programme in line with infection prevention and control guidance.

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