School children, pregnant women, older people and those with health conditions will be able to get a vaccine
Parents and carers of youngsters aged two and three are being urged to book them in for a flu vaccine.
The NHS in England is contacting more than a million parents and carers from Tuesday to tell them the nasal spray vaccine is available.
Ahead of winter when cases spike, school children and other groups such as pregnant women, older people and those with health conditions will be able to get a vaccine.
The flu vaccine for children is usually given as a quick and painless spray up the nose, with no need for an injection.
Anyone who cannot have porcine gelatine in medical products is offered an injection instead.
Flu, which can be serious and can lead to hospital admission, including in young children, tends to peak in December and January and people are urged to have a vaccine before then.
In the current phase of rollout, pregnant women and children aged two or three as of August 31 this year can have a vaccine, alongside all schoolchildren and any youngster in a clinical risk group.
From next month (with online bookings opening on September 23), vaccines will be rolled out to anyone aged 65 and over, those aged 18 to 65 in clinical risk groups, and those in care homes.
Other people such as carers in receipt of carer’s allowance and those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person can get a vaccine on the NHS, as can those who are close contacts of immunocompromised people.
Further eligible groups include NHS workers and carers working in care homes.
Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccinations and screening, said: “The flu vaccine is our best defence against these winter viruses, as well as helping to reduce pressure in hospitals over the winter period as demand increases.
“The flu virus puts thousands of people in hospital each year and vaccinations help us to keep more people well so I would urge everyone eligible to book their jabs when they become available, to protect themselves and people around them.”
Last year, during the peak of winter flu cases, some 2,478 patients were in hospital with flu each day – 2.5 times higher than the previous year, NHS England said.
It said Australia’s flu season – which is normally a good predictor for how seasonal viruses will play out in the English winter – has seen a big wave of Covid-19 infections alongside a rise in flu and other winter illnesses.
Published: by Radio NewsHub
