The National Flu Campaign 2020-21

Byhowbeck

The National Flu Campaign 2020-21

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

Our first clinic dates at Alrewas Surgery

For patients aged 65 and over on 31/3/21:

• Saturday 12^th September
• Saturday 10^th October

For eligible patients aged 18 to 64 on 31/3/21:

• Sunday 13^th September
• Sunday 11^th October

Those most at risk of flu are also most vulnerable to Covid-19. Therefore, we will be starting with patients aged over 65 and those under 65 with long term health conditions. 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 shall be delivering the Flu vaccination programme in line with infection prevention and control guidance. We shall be maintaining social distancing and hygiene measures so please try to adhere to the following:

• Arrive at the surgery as close as possible to your appointment time
• Wear your face mask or face covering
• Maintain 2 metre distancing
• Avoid talking except to identify yourself
• Use the hand gel provided
• Accept any information leaflet offered about the influenza vaccine and please read it
• Follow the one way system and instructions from staff
• Once in the building have your preferred upper arm and shoulder exposed at the ready
• Leave the building promptly through the designated exit

Please remember that anyone displaying symptoms of COVID-19, or who is self-isolating because they are confirmed COVID-19 cases or are contacts of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, should not attend until they have recovered and completed the required isolation period.

We are confident, that if we all follow the above measures, we can have a safe and efficiently run flu vaccination campaign. This is to everyone’s benefit and we thank you in advance for your cooperation.

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