Seasonal Flu Campaign

Following the recent advice from the Joint Committee of Vaccinations and Immunisations our flucampaign will be in two stages.

From the 1st September 2024 we can vaccinate  pregnant women, those aged 6 months to less than 18 years in a clinical risk group and children aged 2 to 3 years (born on or after 1st September 2019 and on or before 31st August 2021).   Primary school children from reception year to year 6 and secondary school children year 7 to 11 will be vaccinated at school. We cannot vaccinate these age groups.

From the 1st October 2024 we can vaccinate the following groups:

• those aged 65 years and over
• those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter 19)
• those in long-stay residential care homes
• carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
• close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants
   

We will soon be sending invites to eligible patients to book their flu vaccine appointment.  Our Covid Vaccination Hub at Avicenna will continue to run clinics and will support walk in appointments on Saturdays in line with our clinics so that our patients attending the surgery for flu vaccine can then attend Avicenna on the same day for their Covid vaccine.

Last year we saw an increase in the number of patients attending local pharmacies for their flu and covid vaccines, this resulted in a large number of vaccines being destroyed by the practice.  We appreciate the convenience of attending one appointment for both vaccines, however, providing services such as administering flu vaccines generates an income for the practice so we can then provide other services to our patients such as increase in clinical capacity by employing more clinicians.  We ask for your support of your GP Surgery and attend for your flu vaccine here.

Our housebound patients will be visited by the Malling PCN team who will offer both flu and covid vaccines.  If you have become housebound (unable to leave your home for any circumstance)  in the last 12 months please contact the surgery to ensure you receive a home visit.

We thank you in anticipation of your support and understanding

Published: Aug 5, 2024