Coronavirus and Flu Information
Are you eligible for a Flu Vaccination?
If you're eligible for an NHS flu vaccine, you can get your vaccine from:
- your GP surgery
- a pharmacy that offers NHS flu vaccination (if you're aged 18 or over)
You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you:
- are aged 65 or over
- have certain long-term health conditions
- are pregnant
- live in a care home
- are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer's allowance
- live with someone who has a weakened immune system
The NHS will let you know in autumn or early winter when you can get your flu vaccine, or you can attend a local pharmacy during the flu season.
Some people may be able to get vaccinated through their maternity service, care home or their employer if they are a frontline health or social care worker.
School-aged children will be offered a vaccine at school or an NHS community clinic.
Frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer.
Are you eligible for a Covid 19 Vaccination?
You or your child may be offered a spring COVID-19 vaccine if you:
- are 75 years or over (you need to be 75 years old by 30 June 2024)
- are 6 months to 74 years old and have a weakened immune system
- live in a care home for older adults
At your vaccination appointment, we’ll need to confirm you still have a weakened immune system before you can get a spring COVID-19 vaccine.
To confirm the health condition or treatment which causes your weakened immune system, it will help if you can do one of these things:
- bring a repeat prescription or medicine box for the treatment that weakens your immune system
- bring an NHS letter confirming your condition that weakens your immune system
- show your health record or prescription history in the NHS App
If your health has changed and you no longer have a weakened immune system, you do not need to have a spring COVID-19 vaccine.
See Coronavirus Information Links (below) to see how you can book in for your Covid Vaccination
Flu Vaccinations
The flu vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. It's offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter to people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.
Here at Park Crescent, we will invite you to book an appointment at the surgery, or recommend a pharmacy that offers a walk in service.
The flu vaccine is recommended for people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.
It's offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter.
The children's nasal spray flu vaccine is given to:
- children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2024 (born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2022)
- all primary school children (Reception to Year 6)
- some secondary school children (Year 7 to Year 11)
- children aged 2 to 17 with certain long-term health conditions
Babies and children aged 6 months to 2 years with certain health conditions will be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray.
Treatment For Flu
A pharmacist can give treatment advice and recommend flu remedies.
Do not take paracetamol and flu remedies that contain paracetamol at the same time as it's easy to take more than the recommended dose.
Antibiotics do not work for viral infections such as flu. GPs do not recommend antibiotics for flu because they will not relieve your symptoms or speed up your recovery.
Coronavirus
Do you have a Pre-Existing Condition?
Macmillan – Cancer & Covid-19
Asthma UK – What to do if you have asthma
Blood Cancer UK – Information for people affected by blood cancer
Diabetes UK – Coronavirus & Diabetes
Kidney Care UK – Guidance for patients with chronic kidney disease
Are you a Vulnerable Patient
Guidance on shielding and protecting extremely vulnerable people
How to get support for extremely critical vulnerable person
Advice for people at higher risk – those who are 70 or older, are pregnant or have a condition that increases the risks from coronavirus.
NHS COVID Pass
From 17 May 2021, people in England who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can demonstrate their vaccination status for international travel. A full course is currently two doses of any approved vaccine. Vaccine status will be available through the NHS COVID Pass service from:
-
the NHS App which you can download from app stores
-
the NHS website
-
119 - by requesting a paper letter
You will need to register to use the online services, if you have not already. It may take more than a week for your identity to be checked and verified.
If you cannot access the online services, and you have had both doses of the vaccine, you can request a paper letter from the NHS by calling 119. Only call 119 if you are due to travel outside the UK in the near future and have had your second dose more than 5 working days ago. It may take up to 7 working days for the letter to arrive.
This practice is not able to provide you with a letter that shows your COVID-19 vaccination status. Please do not contact the practice about your COVID-19 vaccination status unless you have been advised to by the 119 service.
When you're planning your travel, you should check the latest information on demonstrating your COVID-19 status when travelling abroad on the gov.uk website. Make sure there is enough time to get proof of your COVID-19 vaccination status before you are due to travel.