COVID and flu vaccinations Autumn 2023 / 2024

As you may be aware there has been a lot of information regarding the changes to the COVID vaccination programme that will be starting in September 2023. The logistics and changing timescales for the COVID and flu programme this year have been challenging. We are pleased to confirm that Southampton Central PCN will be offering flu and COVID vaccinations.

If you are eligible to receive the flu and or COVID vaccination, you will shortly receive an invitation to book into the Royal South Hants Hospital at a time to suit you.

We will be using a digital booking system where you can pick your own appointment online via a webpage link that will be sent to your mobile

If you do not have access to an online account, a mobile phone or email, please do call your surgery after 14:00 Monday to Friday or pop in and speak to a member of our team.

Invitations will start being sent after Friday 8st September 2023, and we will be prioritising our most vulnerable patients first.

Where patients are eligible for their flu and covid vaccination, clinical studies have shown that it is safe to co administer the vaccines and so we will try where possible to offer both on the same day. However, we do understand that some patients would prefer to have these vaccinations on separate dates. If this is the case, please do let the team know at the time of booking.

How to look after yourself at home if you have COVID-19 or symptoms of COVID-19

Eligibility

If you are unsure, please see below those who are eligible for the 2023/2024 flu vaccination programme:

• 6 months - 65 years in clinical risk groups
• pregnant women
• all aged 65 years and over on 31st March 2024
• those in long stay residential care homes
• carers, those in receipt of carers allowance or main carer of an older or disabled person
• household contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• frontline health and social care staff

Please note that this is different to the flu cohorts for the previous years.

Those eligible for the COVID vaccination in the 2023/23 programme are as follows:

• Residents in a care home for older adults
• all adults aged 65 years and over
• persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group
• frontline health and social care workers
• persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts (as defined in the Green Book) of people with immunosuppression
• persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers (as defined in the Green Book) and staff working in care homes for older adults.

Published: Sep 4, 2023