Government update on Covid 19 and flu vaccine deployment

I understand how important the Covid 19 vaccination programme still is to local residents and wanted to provide you all with an update on this programme. 

 

The covid 19 vaccination programme continues to protect the nation against the virus and as of 13 July 2022 over 149 million doses have been administers in the UK, with 53.6 million first doses, over 50.2 million second doses and over 40 million third primary or booster doses. 

 

The government has followed the extremely important advice in ensuring a safe, effective and successful vaccination programme, provided by the Independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) throughout the pandemic, and will continue to do so in the autumn leading up to the coming winter. 

 

The JCVI’s advice is that a COVID-19 booster vaccine should be offered to:  

• Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults 

 • Frontline health and social care workers  

• All adults aged 50 years and over 

 • Persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group including pregnant women 

• Persons aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression  

• Persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers 

 

Vaccines have played a vital role in the UK’s COVID-19 response and have made learning to live with the virus possible for constituents of Norwich North, by further expanding the eligible groups for the booster vaccines, it means that more people, who are at higher risk of severe illnesses, can be protected and kept out of hospital.  

 

In terms of the flu vaccine, this year the programme has been expanded to help protect people from flu and ease pressure on the NHS and urgent care services. After the most vulnerable groups, the pre-school and primary school children, those aged 65 and older and those in clinical risk groups have been offered the flu vaccine.

Additional groups including all adults aged 50 to 64 and secondary school children in years 7,8 and 9, who will be offered the vaccine in order of school year (starting with the youngest first), will also be offered the free flu vaccine this year. 

 

Flu is a serious condition that kills, on average, 11,000 people in England each year and hospitalises many more. Adults at high risk from flu are also most at risk from COVID-19. The free vaccine is more important than ever to help protect the nation from a double threat this winter. 

 

The NHS will announce in due course when and how eligible groups will be able to book an appointment for their COVID 19 autumn booster, and when people aged 50 to 64 (who are not in a clinical trial group) will be able to get their free flu jab. 

 

If I can help constituents with any matter, please do email me on chloe@chloesmith.org.uk or ring my constituency office on 01603 414756