Covid-19 and flu vaccines in South Tyneside

Wed 11th January 2023

Double your defences against flu & Covid-19 this year

Experts advise that those at greater risk will need extra protection this winter. The flu vaccination & Covid-19 autumn booster will be critical to protecting lives. You may be eligible for both vaccinations if you are:

• aged 50 years & over
• in a clinical risk group
• pregnant
• aged 5 – 49 & a household contact of someone in a high clinical risk
• a carer aged 16 – 49
• a resident, or staff member in a care home for older adults
• a frontline health or social care worker

In addition, the free flu vaccine will be offered to the following:

• children aged 2-3 years
• all primary school children

And once the most vulnerable have been offered the jab

• all healthy adults aged 50 to 64 years
• secondary school children in years 7, 8 and 9

Covid-19 booster vaccines

The NHS is offering Covid-19 vaccines to those eligible including, frontline health and social care workers, high risk groups, pregnant women, people who have, or live with someone who has a weakened immune system, and over-50s. It is important people who are eligible come forward as soon as possible when it’s their turn, for extra protection ahead of winter, when viruses circulate most and can cause greatest harm.  For maximum protection, your Covid vaccination must be at least three months after your previous dose.

The NHS will let people know when it is their turn to come forward for their Covid-19 vaccine. Once invited, people can book their seasonal Covid-19 vaccine using the National Booking Service or by calling 119, or can find a local vaccination walk-in site.

Flu jabs

This year, the flu vaccine will be offered to those most at risk from flu first. From September, younger children, older people, those in clinical risk groups and pregnant women will be able to book an appointment for a flu vaccine at their GP practice or pharmacy. From mid-October 2022, people aged 50 to 64 years old that aren’t in a clinical risk group, will also be able to get a free flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is offered through schools for school-aged children and pregnant women can get their flu vaccine through their GP practice, pharmacy or maternity service.

The COVID-19 and the flu vaccine can be given on the same day and some people might get both vaccines at the same time. However, this may not always be possible, so we encourage everybody to get each vaccination as soon as they can, rather than waiting to get both at the same time.

Please help to keep yourself and those around you safe against these viruses by getting vaccinated when you are invited. You can find out more about what vaccinations you may need, and information about how to book an appointment, by visiting www.nhs.uk/flujab and www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccine.

First and second Covid-19 doses

Everyone aged 5 and over can get a 1st and 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

People aged 16 and over, and some children aged 12 to 15, can also get a booster dose.

People aged 5 and over who had a severely weakened immune system when they had their first 2 doses, will be offered a 3rd dose before any booster doses.

You can make your appointment on the NHS website or by calling 119 free of charge between 7am and 11pm, seven days a week.

We often run drop-in vaccine clinics locally, so you can get your jab without an appointment. These clinics are dependent on vaccine supplies, and are listed on this page as soon as they are confirmed.

If you have any questions about your vaccine, please contact the National Booking Service, or call 119

You can also find more information on Covid-19 vaccines on the NHS website or Gov.uk.

Important: Sometimes we experience more people turning up to our drop-in clinics than we expect. If this happens, we may need to politely ask that you come back later in the day or another day.

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