Countdown to Christmas – it’s now easier than ever to get your winter vaccinations

With just over a month to go until Christmas, the NHS in Wakefield District is making it as easy as possible for you to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations to protect yourself and your loved ones.

NHS teams have set up additional clinics, alongside the regular ones, to help more people get protected before the busy festive season.

You don’t need to book, you can just walk in.

Details of these clinics can be found on the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership website.

The flu vaccination is being offered to children and pregnant women, everyone aged 65 and over, under 65s in clinical risk groups, care home residents and carers, close contacts of those who are immunosuppressed and frontline health and social care staff.

Dr. James Thomas, Medical Director at NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said:

Vaccination is our best defence against these viruses and can be lifesaving. Those who are eligible are encouraged to visit these extra clinics across West Yorkshire or book appointments for their jabs as soon as possible, to help protect themselves and their loved ones.

It takes around two weeks to get optimum protection once vaccinated, so visit one of these clinics or book an appointment now.

This year, COVID-19 vaccinations are also available to adults aged 75 and over, older adult care home residents, and people who are immunosuppressed.

The NHS National Booking Service on the NHS website has opened for all eligible individuals to book their winter flu and COVID-19 vaccinations www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/vaccination-and-booking-services.

Check if you’re eligible on the NHS website www.nhs.uk/vaccinations.

Last winter NHS services experienced a mix of seasonal viruses including COVID-19, flu, norovirus and RSV, which is why the NHS has issued a call for pregnant women to come forward for their RSV jabs to help protect their babies due this winter against respiratory viruses.  Vaccinations against flu, whooping cough and RSV are recommended by the NHS for pregnant women and are proven to be safe for mothers and babies.

Pregnant mums from 28 weeks onwards can access the RSV jab through their maternity services, or alongside older adults aged 75 to 79, via their local GP practice or community pharmacy.

You can also find out more about vaccinations on the Together We Can website togetherwe-can.com

Based on scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI):

Those eligible for a flu vaccination this Autumn/Winter include –

• pregnant women
• all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2025
• primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
• secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
• all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
• those aged 65 years and over
• those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined in the Influenza chapter of the Green Book)
• 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

Health and social care staff will also be offered a flu vaccine from their organisation, with multiple convenient options to get vaccinated based around working and shift patterns.

Those eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination include:

• adults aged 75 years and over
• residents in a care home for older adults
• individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (as defined in the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book)

Further information about vaccinations delivered by the NHS can be found on the NHS website