Flu and Covid vaccination season is upon us, and we are currently planning our annual 'Flu day' during which we offer both flu and covid vaccinations to our patients > 70 years, who comprise more than 1000 of our patients.
Our patients aged 70 and over will be invited to the following day:
Saturday 12th October
at Cherryvalley Health Centre
This will be closely followed by a date for our 65-69 year olds, clinical 'at risk' groups and pre-school nasal flu.
We have also been delivering a new vaccination programme this year to provide protection for 'RSV' or Respiratory Syncytial Virus. In healthy adults, this virus causes mild respiratory symptoms, but the risk and severity of RSV is significantly increased in older adults, as well as infants. RSV infects up to 90% of children within the first 2 years of life, causing bronchiolitis, which is the leading cause of hospital admission in this age group over the winter period.
For older adults, this will be a 'once off' vaccination for those over 75 years. This year we have been inviting adults turning 75 years, and a catch up programme for those aged 75-79 years. Adults in this age group remain eligible for RSV vaccination up until end of August 2025.
Although RSV vaccination can be co-administered safely with Covid and Influenza vaccine, best practice suggests a gap of 2 weeks is optimal between RSV and flu/covid vaccinations.
The hospital Trusts will deliver RSV vaccination to pregnant women from 28 weeks to provide infant protection.
Pneumococcal is another vaccine protecting against some strains of pneumonia, which is a 'once off' for most people and is offered to patients over 65 years and 'at risk' groups. We will offer this in addition to Flu and Covid vaccination for patients in the 65-69 age group who have not previously have received it.
Shingles is a 2 dose schedule, and continues as a year round programme. Eligible cohorts this year are those who are 65 or 70 on 1st September. We will send for these patients at a later stage in the year.
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