COVID and Flu Clinics 23/24 Update.

Posted on August 14th, 2023

We had previously sent out Save The Date messages for flu clinics for this September.

NHS England and the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisations (JCVI) have sent clinical guidance advising all GP practices and community pharmacies against vaccinating adult patients before October.

This is to ensure that patients receive maximum and extended protection during the winter months particularly in December & January when risk of contracting flu and covid is greater and more prevalent. This approach was felt essential for protecting the public as well as offering greater resilience to our healthcare service.

Therefore, we have taken the decision to postpone our clinics to October as per this clinical advice.

Whilst this has caused slight disruption for our pre-planned clinics which have been historically held in September, it is important that we follow this advice for the care of our patients and hope you understand and agree.

The flu and covid vaccine clinics this year will be held on Saturday 7^th and Saturday 14^th October in our main building.

The groups to be offered a Flu and COVID-19 booster vaccine are:

• Residents in a care home for older adults

• All adults aged 65 years and over

• Persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group

• Frontline health and social care workers

• Persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression

• Persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers and staff working in care homes for older adults.

If you are eligible and would like to book an appointment, you can do so by emailing audley.millsf81123@nhs.net, by replying to the text message invitation, or logging onto Systm Online.  We would prefer it if you did not call the surgery to book as the lines are already extremely busy although if you are unable to use any other method our receptionist will assist you.

If you are unable to attend either of the two dates, then please let us know and we will add you to a list for any possible future clinics we may be able to hold.

Patients who are registered as housebound and have absolutely no way to get to the surgery will be contacted separately.