The Government has announced it is bringing this year’s programme of flu and Covid-19 vaccinations for at-risk groups forward to September, as a new variant of COVID-19 is found circulating in the population with flu season on the horizon.

Last year, flu season resulted in 14,500 excess deaths across the UK during a winter which saw the spread of the disease began early and peak quickly, with hospitalisations across all age groups higher than usual thanks to reduced immunity. This year the worry is that a previously unseen variant of Covid-19, known as the Pirola variant, which is already circulating in the population, could put further strain on the NHS this winter just as flu season hits its stride.

A government statement said: “The government has decided to bring forward its flu and COVID-19 autumn vaccination campaign, as a precautionary measure to ensure those people who are most vulnerable and at higher risk of severe disease have the best available protection. It can take a few weeks for protection to build after a vaccine, so getting vaccinated ahead of the winter season, when respiratory viruses tend to peak, is important.”

The NHS also reiterated the importance of its respiratory virus vaccination programme: “The NHS winter flu and Covid-19 vaccination programme provides vital protection to those eligible and their families over winter, keeping people from developing serious illnesses, and helping to minimise hospitalisations during busy winter months.” Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England Medical Director added: “Vaccinations are our best defence against flu and Covid-19 ahead of what could be a very challenging winter.”

Those who are eligible for a free flu vaccination this year are

·      Those aged 65 years and over

·      Those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups

·      Pregnant women

·      Children from two years old to up 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 and frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme.

For those aren’t in these groups but who are offered an employer-led flu vaccination scheme, it is more important than ever to ensure you’re personally protected against influenza this winter. Getting vaccinated means you can also protect those people around you, and if the flu season hits as hard and fast as it did last year, as many people as possibly will want to have that peace of mind.  

The NHS is doing its bit to protect the most vulnerable people from falling ill this winter; meanwhile in the private sector Citi Health is working with employers to protect workforces across London and the UK from the flu. From September to January Citi Health works with employers to offer workplace flu vaccinations to their employees at a place and time of their convenience, as a way of protecting workers  from the potentially devastating effects of the flu. Find out more about booking workplace flu vaccinations at https://www.citihealth.co.uk/flu-vaccinations.