30 Dec Clinics help families to get their COVID-19 Vaccination Booster and nasal flu vaccine
Walk-in family clinics are being held locally to make it more convenient and easier for families to get their COVID-19 vaccination booster for those aged 12-18 and their families and the nasal flu vaccine for children aged 5-11.
The first clinic was held on Thursday, 23 December between 10am-4pm at Balmoral Community Centre in Westcliff. A second will be held at the same opening times on Thursday, 30 December at Eastwood Community Centre, Western Approaches, Southend on Sea, SS2 6XY, with parking available on site. No appointments are necessary.
More than 144,000 people have now received their COVID-19 Booster jab across mid and south Essex since the national call to #getboosted was made ten days ago.
Dr Ronan Fenton, System Medical Director for the Mid and South Essex Health and Care Partnership, said:
“I’d urge as many people as possible not to delay getting vaccinated. Get a COVID-19 booster to protect yourself and others and also get your flu vaccine to protect you through the winter. There are lots of opportunities across the area to get vaccinated throughout Christmas and into the New Year”.
The call is also for those who have not yet had a first jab to do so as soon as possible to avoid serious illness and hospitalisations as the weather turns colder and we head further into winter.
Scientists are particularly worried about the arrival of Omicron variant because of the speed with which it spreads and because two COVID vaccine doses does not give enough protection.
The COVID-19 booster programme is the rollout of an additional vaccine dose to people who have previously received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to ensure continued protection for those most at risk from COVID-19.
COVID-19 booster jabs are being offered to eligible patients across the UK in line with national and JCVI guidance.
You can get a booster dose if you had a 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 91 days ago and:
you are aged 18 or over
you are aged 16 or over with a health condition that puts you at high risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19
you are a frontline health or social care worker
you live or work in a care home
you are aged 16 or over and are a main carer for someone at high risk from COVID-19
you are aged 16 or over and live with someone who has a weakened immune system (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19, you need to wait four weeks (28 days) from the day of your positive test to have a booster.
If your child has tested positive for COVID-19 and is not at high risk from COVID-19, they need to wait 12 weeks before they can have a COVID-19 vaccine.
People who are pregnant and in eligible groups can also get a booster dose.
Eligible patients can:
Make an appointment for a booster via the NHS national booking service online at nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or call 119 (free), between 7am and 11pm seven days a week
Attend an available walk-in site or local pharmacy. A list of sites can be found at essexcovidvaccine.nhs.uk. These sites are updated regularly so please keep checking back for more locations.
