Don’t give the gift of flu or COVID this festive season
Date added: 23 December 2021
With Christmas approaching, it’s important that you give the best gift you can this year and that is to help protect your family, friends, loved ones, and the NHS from becoming overwhelmed during the festive period.
Getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 will provide protection for you and those around you for both these serious illnesses.
COVID booster doses are now being offered to all people aged 18 to 29 years old and can be booked using the online service. You can pre-book your booster dose online if it’s been 2 months (61 days) since you had your second dose and you are:
- aged 30 and over
- a frontline health or social care worker
- aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts you at high risk from COVID-19
Visit the NHS website to book or manage a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination.
The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to people who:
- are 50 and over (including those who'll be 50 by 31 March 2022)
- have certain health conditions
- are pregnant
- are in long-stay residential care
- receive a carer's allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
- live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
- frontline health or social care workers
You can have the NHS flu vaccine at your GP surgery, a pharmacy offering the service, your midwifery service if you're pregnant or at a hospital appointment.
If you do not have your flu vaccine at your GP surgery, you do not have to tell the surgery. This will be done for you.
Use the NHS website to find a pharmacy which offers the NHS flu vaccine.
