The autumn flu and Covid vaccination programme will get started on Monday for residents across Lanarkshire who are eligible for the flu vaccination or the flu and Covid autumn booster.
The flu vaccination and autumn Covid booster are being offered to eligible groups following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the first cohorts to be offered flu or both flu and Covid vaccinations includes care homes residents and care home staff, 2 to 5 year olds, and frontline health and social care staff.
Over the next few weeks the flu vaccination will be offered to:
- anyone aged 50 years or over (or will be by 31 March 2023)
- residents or staff working in a care home for older adults
- younger adults in long stay nursing and residential care settings
- health or social care workers
- children aged 6 months to 2 years with an eligible health condition
- children aged 2 to 5 years not yet at school (children must be aged 2 years or above on 1 September 2022 to be eligible)
- primary or secondary school pupils
- those aged 5 to 49 years with an eligible health condition
- those aged 5 to 49 years and are a household contact of someone with a weakened immune system
- unpaid carers or a young carer
- pregnant women
- nursery, primary or secondary school teacher or a pupil-facing support staff in local authority or independent setting
- part of the prison population, a prison officer, or support staff who delivers direct front-facing detention services
On the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) those eligible for a further Covid booster are:
- all adults aged 50 years and over
- those aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, including pregnant women
- those aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
- those aged 16 to 49 years who are carers
- residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
- frontline health and social care workers
Tobias Tipper, General Manager for Lanarkshire’s Vaccination Programme, said: “We will be offering every eligible Lanarkshire resident the opportunity of further protection this winter through the flu and autumn Covid booster and we would encourage anyone eligible for either the flu or the flu and booster to attend their appointment.
“Appointment letters have already started being issued for the 2 to 5 year olds for their flu vaccination and if parents or carers cannot attend the date or time allotted they can attend one of our drop in clinics – details of which are on our website at https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/vaccinations/
“We are also offering appointments for staff eligible for either the flu or both the flu and Covid booster. Appointments can be booked through the national online booking portal and I would strongly encourage everyone eligible to come forward for their vaccinations.”
