COVID-19
For information about COVID-19 (including the vaccination) please visit see the links below:
For more information go to www.gov.uk/coronavirus or www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
Flu
Flu Vaccination
- Wear short sleeves to expose the arm
- Please come alone (unless with a carer)
- Practice Social Distancing
- Wear a face covering
Who is eligible:
- People aged 65 years and over (including those becoming 65 years by 31 March 2021)
- People aged six months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups, people aged 50 to 64 please read below
- All pregnant women (including those who become pregnant during flu season)
- People living in long-stay residential care homes or other long-stay care facilities
- Carers
- Children becoming 2 to 3 years old on 31 August 2020
Flu clinics at the practice:
The flu vaccine is free of charge to eligible patients. If you do not wish to travel to one of our clinics or are currently not in London, please remember that many local pharmacies are also offering the flu vaccine free of charge to eligible patients.
In light of Covid-19 please attend the appointment alone unless accompanied by your Carer, you may be asked to wait outside the surgery momentarily due to social distancing and it is mandatory to wear a face covering for your appointment.
Please do not attend if you or a household member has Covid-19 symptoms.
Flu vaccine by invite only:
If you are eligible you will receive an invitation via phone call / text, once you respond to say you want the flu vaccine you will be given an appointment date and time to come in to the practice for the vaccine, subject to availability of vaccine. Please be aware that we will be inviting those at highest risk of the flu first, so our invitations will be staggered.
If you are in the 50 to 64 year old category, you will not be vaccinated until November and December 2020, providing there is sufficient vaccine, and no appointments will be offered for this age group. This is to ensure that those who are most at risk are vaccinated first; the practice is awaiting further guidance from the Government.
If you are 50 to 64 and you are in one of the other groups which are eligible for the flu vaccination, for example you have a health condition which puts you at risk from the flu, you will be invited earlier.
If you would prefer to have the vaccinations earlier than that, you may be able to receive it from your local pharmacy.
Flu vaccination for children:
The flu vaccine is offered to children aged 2 to 3 years, to children of reception and primary school age, and, for the first time this year (2020) to children in the first year of secondary school (Year 7). In addition, children who are clinically at risk are offered the vaccine from the age of six months.
The vaccine is given to most children in school in the form of a nasal spray and contains a highly processed form of porcine gelatine.
If a child is at high risk from one or more medical conditions or treatments and cannot have the nasal spray, the child will be offered an alternative flu vaccination by injection.
There is a limited supply of the alternative vaccine, which is less effective than the nasal spray for healthy children, so children at risk will be prioritised for this vaccine.
School age children
School age children who are not at risk, but whose parents would prefer that they did not have the nasal spray, can request the alternative vaccine, but it would not be available until November and only then if there was sufficient stock.
Two to three-year olds
Two to three-year olds who are not at risk, but whose parents would prefer that they did not have the nasal spray, can also request the alternative vaccine from their GP. Again, this would mean waiting until November and would depend upon there being sufficient stock of the alternative vaccine.