With a week left before online bookings for Covid-19 and flu vaccines close, eligible south west Londoners are being urged to book an appointment and get potentially life-saving protection ahead of Christmas.
The NHS online booking system, NHS app and 119 phone service will be closed for flu and Covid vaccine bookings from 15 December, making 14 December the last day to make an appointment.
There are still hundreds of thousands of appointments available across England offering extra protection to those eligible who have not yet come forward.
Since the beginning of the autumn campaign almost 198,000 Covid and 358,000 flu vaccinations have been delivered in south west London but there are still more in vulnerable groups who can safeguard their health this winter.
NHS teams are delivering Covid seasonal jabs at around 100 pharmacies in Merton, Wandsworth, Kingston, Richmond, Sutton and Croydon as well as at local community clinics and GP practices.
Find vaccination sites in South West London
We’re getting closer to the festive period when lots of people will be seeing family and friends and getting vaccinated is the best way to keep you and those around you from possibly getting seriously ill during the colder months.
Local GP Dr Nicola Jones
Vaccination is the best way for people to ensure they and their families are protected against flu and Covid this Christmas when the viruses spread more easily as people spend more time indoors. It takes about two weeks following vaccination to build up the maximum defences against the viruses, so it’s important to book in early.
Local GP Dr Nicola Jones said it is crucial to get this protection, even if people have had a vaccine or been ill with flu or Covid before as immunity fades over time and the viruses change each year.
Dr Jones said: “We’re getting closer to the festive period when lots of people will be seeing family and friends and getting vaccinated is the best way to keep you and those around you from possibly getting seriously ill during the colder months. So I would urge all those who haven’t taken up the vaccination offer to do so – nobody wants to be ill at Christmas or new year.
“There are many sites open across south west London – including around 100 pharmacies and community clinics – and eligible adults can book both vaccines online or through the NHS app quickly. With walk-on vaccinations also available in south west London, it couldn’t be easier to get jabbed and protected.”
The 119 service, which provides booking support for those unable to access online services, will continue answering queries until 22 December.
For people who are eligible for a free flu vaccine after 15 December, it will still be possible to book one by contacting their GP surgery or by finding a pharmacy that offers the NHS flu vaccination if you’re 18 or over.
The free flu vaccine offer will then close after 31 March. However, getting it as soon as possible is encouraged to ensure protection over the colder months when flu is often in greater circulation.
Parents should also ensure that eligible children are protected against flu with the nasal spray vaccine, as they are at a higher risk of catching and spreading the virus. If caught, it can lead to serious problems like bronchitis and pneumonia.
The flu vaccine will be offered in schools until 15 December. Parents can call to book an appointment for their two or three-year-old (aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2023) or their child with certain health conditions at their GP practice until 31 March.
The NHS has sent national invites via text, email, letter and on the NHS app to eligible people over 18 since bookings opened in September to ensure no one misses out and is continuing to encourage those that are yet to come forward through the NHS marketing campaign with UK Health Security Agency and Department of Health and Social Care.
Anyone experiencing cold and flu symptoms on the day of their vaccinations, is advised to rebook their appointment for when they are well.
Those eligible for a seasonal Covid-19 vaccine are:
- aged 65 years old or over (you need to be 65 years old by 31 March 2024)
- aged six months to 64 years old and are at increased risk
- living in a care home for older adults
- a frontline health or social care worker
- aged 16 to 64 years old and are a carer
- aged 12 to 64 years old and live with someone with a weakened immune system
In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, those eligible for a flu vaccine this year include:
- People aged 65 years and over
- those aged six months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups – as defined by the Green Book, chapter 19 (Influenza)
- pregnant women
- all children aged two or three on 31 August 2023
- school-aged children (from Reception to Year 11)
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers in receipt of carers’ 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.