RSV Vaccine (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) – Available from 1st September 2024
What is RSV?
RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs; it often causes symptoms similar to a cold. It can make you wheezy or short of breath and lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening conditions. RSV infection is common in young children but is most serious for small babies and older people.
Who is eligible:
- Patients who turn 75 years old on or after the 1st September 2024.
- Patients already aged 75-79 years old on 1st September 2024 as part of the catch up programme
- Pregnant women from 28th week of their pregnancy
When will I be invited?
We will be sending all eligible patients a link to book into a vaccination appointment. This link can be used to choose an appointment at a time that works for you. Our reception team will be calling those patients who do not have a mobile number or who have opted out of text messaging.
Can I have my other winter vaccines at the same time ?
It is not recommended that you have your flu vaccination or covid vaccination at the same time as your RSV vaccination. Although if eligible, you can have your shingles vaccination or pneumococcal.
For this year’s flu campaign, to ensure that your flu vaccination protects you for the whole winter, the campaign is not due to start until 3rd October. Our nursing team/reception team will be booking you in for an appointment when you come for your RSV vaccination.
What are the most common side effects of the RSV vaccination?
It is common to expect some soreness, redness or swelling at the vaccination site for a day or two after the vaccination.
How long will it protect me for?
Clinical studies have found that the RSV vaccine provided good protection for at least 2 years and is expected to last longer.
Seasonal Flu Vaccinations
What is Flu?
Flu is a infectious viral illness, you can catch flu all year round but it is especially common in winter. It can come on very quickly and symptoms will include:
- A sudden high temperature
- An aching body
- A sore throat
- A dry cough
- A headache
Antibiotics do not work for viral infections such as flu. Flu is very infectious and can easily spread to other people. The best protection against flu, is the vaccination.
Who is eligible?
- Patients aged 65 or over
- Have certain long term health conditions – for example asthma, diabetes, heart conditions
- Are pregnant
- Live in a care home
- Are the main carer for an older or disable person?
- Live with someone who is immunocompromised.
- Frontline Health care workers can also get the vaccine through their employers
When will I be invited?
Most eligible adults will be able to get the flu vaccination from 3rd October. However, if you are pregnant you will be invited to have your vaccination sooner.
We will have our clinics ready to be booked into from early September.
All eligible patients will be sent a link to book into a vaccination appointment. This link can be used to choose an appointment at a time that works for you. Our reception team are also able to book you into an appointment.
Can I have my other winter vaccines at the same time?
There should be a gap between the flu vaccination and the RSV vaccination, although there is no defined timeframe. We are anticipating being able to co-administer flu vaccinations and covid vaccinations for our eligible patients.
What are the most common side effects of the flu vaccination?
It is common to expect some soreness where the injection was given, some people do get a slightly raised temperature and an aching body in response to the vaccination. The flu vaccinations DO NOT contain a live virus and are not able to give you the flu.
How long will it protect me for?
There is a chance that you may still get flu after being vaccinated, but it is likely to be mild and not last as long. Each year the vaccination is adapted to protect from the different strains which are circulating.
Covid Vaccinations – Autumn Booster
What is Covid?
Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Symptoms can include: a high temperature, a cough, a headache, an aching body etc. The symptoms are very similar to other illnesses such as cold and flu.
Who is eligible?
- Patients aged 65 or over
- Have certain long term health conditions for example diabetes, heart disease
- Residents in a care home setting for older adults
- Frontline NHS and social care workers and those working in care homes for older people
When will I be invited?
The eligibility for covid vaccination and the flu vaccination overlap, so instead of inviting our patients multiple times, we are hoping to co-administer the vaccine in the same appointment.
Can I have my other winter vaccines at the same time?
There should be a gap between the covid vaccination and the RSV vaccination, although there is no defined timeframe. We are anticipating being able to co-administer flu vaccinations and covid vaccinations for our eligible patients. If you would prefer to have them separately, just let us know, we will have designated clinics for both.
What are the most common side effects of the Covid vaccination?
It is common to expect some soreness where the injection was given, some people do get a slightly raised temperature, feeling tired, a headache and some mild flu like symptoms.
How long will it protect me for?
This will all depend on the strain of covid circulating. Studies have shown that protection begins between one or two weeks after receiving the booster vaccination.
Please note – we do not have direct control over when and how many covid vaccinations will be provided to us. Although we do not anticipate any issues, it is worth our patients bearing in mind they may need to rebook if there are stock issues with the vaccine.
