Covid Spring Boosters - April 2025
The Covid vaccine booster campaign for Spring 2025 begins on 1st April. We only have the correct vaccine for adults so if you are under 18 then please book using the national booking service which is here.
Those eligible for COVID-19 vaccination are:
● adults aged 75 years and over
● residents in a care home for older adults
● individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosupressed
Immunosuppresed criteria for age 16 and over :
Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment, including patients undergoing chemotherapy leading to immunosuppression, patients undergoing radical radiotherapy, solid organ transplant recipients, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients, HIV infection at all stages, multiple myeloma or genetic disorders affecting the immune system (e.g. IRAK-4, NEMO, complement disorder, SCID).
Individuals who are receiving immunosuppressive or immunomodulating biological therapy including, but not limited to, anti-TNF, alemtuzumab, ofatumumab, rituximab, patients receiving protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors, and individuals treated with steroid sparing agents such as cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil.
Individuals treated with or likely to be treated with systemic steroids for more than a month at a dose equivalent to prednisolone at 20mg or more per day for adults.
Anyone with a history of haematological malignancy, including leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
Those who require long term immunosuppressive treatment for conditions including, but not limited to, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, scleroderma and psoriasis.
Immunosuppresed criteria for age under 16 :
Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment, including:
• those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, solid organ transplant recipients, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients
• genetic disorders affecting the immune system (e.g. deficiencies of IRAK-4 or NEMO, complement disorder, SCID)
• those with haematological malignancy, including leukaemia and lymphoma
• those receiving immunosuppressive or immunomodulating biological therapy
• those treated with or likely to be treated with high or moderate dose corticosteroids
• those receiving any dose of non-biological oral immune modulating drugs e.g. methotrexate, azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine or mycophenolate
• those with auto-immune diseases who may require long term immunosuppressive treatments
Children who are about to receive planned immunosuppressive therapy should be considered for vaccination prior to commencing therapy
Flu 2024/25
You have probably found this page as you have received an invite to have flu vaccine. This means you (or someone you share a mobile number with) is likely eligible for the 2024 flu vaccine. Flu is much more serious than you may think. A flu vaccination provides the best protection against an unpredictable virus which infects many people and can cause serious illness and death each year. Also, the flu virus changes every year so even if you had an injection last year, you still need one for this winter.
We have been asked to start flu vaccination from October this year for nearly all adults (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flu-vaccine-supply-when-can-you-get-your-vaccination/when-can-you-get-your-flu-vaccine)
Please check if you meet any of the eligibility criteria below. If you do then you can receive the influenza vaccine from our practice.
Conditions included;
- Age 65 and over (or turn 65 before the end of March 2025)
- Age 2 or 3 (born 1/9/20 to 31/8/22 inclusive)
- Chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma (that requires an inhaled or tablet steroid treatment, or has led to hospital admission in the recent past)
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) – including emphysema
- Chronic heart disease - including angina, heart attack and heart failure
- Had a stroke or mini stroke
- Chronic kidney disease (stages 3 to 5)
- Chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis, fibrosis or cirrhosis
- Chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
- Diabetes
- Problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
- A weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
- Have a learning disability
- Close contacts of people with a very weak immune system
- Those who are receipt of a carer’s allowance, or who are the main carer of an older or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill
- Pregnant women
- Being seriously overweight with a BMI of 40 or above
- If you are the main carer for someone who is elderly or disabled
- Health and social care staff, employed by a registered residential care/nursing home or registered domiciliary care provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients/clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza
- Health and care staff, employed by a voluntary managed hospice provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients/clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza
- Health and social care workers employed through Direct Payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants, to deliver domiciliary care to patients and service users
- Household contacts of those on the NHS Shielded Patient List. Specifically, individuals who expect to share living accommodation with a shielded person on most days over the winter and therefore for whom continuing close contact is unavoidable.
If you meet any of the criteria above then please ring the surgery and ask for a flu vaccination or book online via one of the apps.
Covid Vaccination Autumn 2024/25
Eligibility is very similar but not quite the same for Covid vaccination. You qualify for an autumn Covid vaccine if you meet one of the qualifying conditions below;
- Age 65 and over (or turn 65 before the end of March 2025)
- Chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma (asthma must be poorly controlled, or has led to hospital admission in the recent past)
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) – including emphysema
- Chronic heart disease - including angina, heart attack and heart failure
- Had a stroke or mini stroke
- Chronic kidney disease (stages 3 to 5)
- Chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis, fibrosis or cirrhosis (minor fatty liver does not count)
- Chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy, a learning disability or cerebral palsy
- Diabetes
- Problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
- A weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
- Have a learning disability
- Pregnant women
- Being seriously overweight with a BMI of 40 or above
- Health and social care staff, employed by a registered residential care/nursing home or registered domiciliary care provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients/clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza
- Health and care staff, employed by a voluntary managed hospice provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients/clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza
- Health and social care workers employed through Direct Payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants, to deliver domiciliary care to patients and service users
If you meet any of the criteria above then please ring the surgery and ask for a Covid vaccination or book online via one of the apps.