Update on Seasonal Flu and COVID-19 Vaccinations
NHS England is moving forward the timetable for the autumn COVID-19 and flu vaccine rollouts.
From Monday 11th September, thousands of eligible people across Sussex will be offered a COVID vaccination in line with the latest expert guidance on the new COVID variant.
The NHS has been asked to bring the programme forward due to the risks presented by the new BA.2.86 COVID variant and will be working quickly to ensure as many eligible people as possible are vaccinated by the end of October.
Residents of older adult care homes and those most at risk, including those who are immunosuppressed, will receive their COVID-19 vaccine first.
From the 18th September, the NHS will start inviting people in priority order of risk. Those who are eligible for a vaccine will be able to book an appointment on the National Booking Service.
Carers, pregnant women, and health and social care staff will also be among the groups to be offered a COVID-19 jab this winter, as well as adults aged 65 and over.
Eligible people should wait to receive an invite from their local provider.
Wherever possible, vaccinations for flu and COVID-19 will be offered at the same time, making it easier and more convenient for people to get vital protection from both viruses ahead of winter.
Who is eligible for COVID vaccinations this autumn?
• 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, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book, COVID-19 chapter (Green Book)
• frontline health and social care workers
• persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts (as defined in the Green Book) of people with immunosuppression
• persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers (as defined in the Green Book) and staff working in care homes for older adults.
Who is eligible for Flu vaccinations this autumn?
• those aged 65 years and over
• those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, chapter 19 (Influenza))
• pregnant women
• all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2023
• school-aged children (from Reception to Year 11)
• 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
Further information
For more information on the status of vaccinations in Sussex – please visit the NHS Sussex Website here.
Alternatively please contact NHS Sussex’s Vaccine Enquiries Team:
- Email us at sxicb.vaccineenquiries@nhs.net
- Call us on our vaccine enquiry phone line: 0800 433 4545 (open 9am – 4pm, Monday to Friday).
- See the privacy notice for information about how your data is used.
Note that they cannot book a vaccination appointment for you – please wait to be contacted.
