Stay well this autumn & winter – get vaccinated

With the weather taking an autumnal turn, Blackburn with Darwen Council health chiefs are advising people to get vaccinated now to protect themselves from winter viruses.

Annual flu jabs and Covid booster vaccines are currently being offered to eligible people.

And anyone who isn’t up to date with their Covid jabs can get their latest dose of the vaccine at any time.

Here’s a round-up of what’s available where and who is eligible.

 

Covid-19 autumn booster jabs

Available to:

• People over 50 years
• Residents in care homes for older people
• People aged 5 years and over in a clinical risk group
• Health and social care staff
• Pregnant women of any age.

Available at:

• Barbara Castle Way health centre in Blackburn
• Everest Pharmacy in Darwen
• Aston Pharmacy in Blackburn
• Cohens Pharmacy in Blackburn
• Some GP practices
• At home – for anyone who is unable to attend a vaccination clinic.

You should have your booster at least 3 months after your last dose of vaccine.

 

First, second & booster doses of the Covid jab

Available to:

• 1st & 2nd doses for anyone over 5 years
• Additional doses for people over 5 years with severely weakened immune systems
• 1st boosters for over 16s, plus at-risk children aged 12 to 15 years

Available at:

• Barbara Castle Way health centre in Blackburn
• Everest Pharmacy in Darwen
• Some GP practices
• At home – for anyone who is unable to attend a vaccination clinic.

 

Find more details of available Covid vaccine doses and how to book on the NHS booking website.

 

Annual flu jabs:

Available for free to:

• Over 50s
• People with certain health conditions
• People who are pregnant
• People in long-stay residential care
• People who are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick
• People who live with someone who is more likely to get a severe infection due to a weakened immune system, such as someone living with HIV, someone who has had a transplant, or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
• Frontline health workers
• Social care workers who cannot get the vaccine through an occupational health scheme at work
• Children aged 2 or 3 years
• All primary school children
• Some secondary school aged children
• Children aged 2 to 17 years with long-term health conditions

Available at:

• Some GP practices
• Pharmacies that offer the flu jab service – if you’re aged 18 or over
• Through schools

 

More details of opening times for these vaccination sites are available at www.healthierlsc.co.uk/getmyjab.

 

Abdul Razaq, Director of Public Health for Blackburn with Darwen, said:

Many of us are enjoying the freedoms we went without for such a long time, and we want to look forward to a winter free of restrictions.

The latest surveillance data suggests that Covid hospital admissions have begun to see an increase in some regions across England, whilst flu levels currently remain low.

The best thing we can do to protect ourselves is take up the offer of both the Covid and flu vaccines to stay well for the coming months and prevent passing on infections to others by observing good hand hygiene.

Coun Damian Talbot, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing, said:

We’ve come a long way over the last two years, but Covid is still a horrible virus that can make us seriously ill. We know that we are less likely to need hospital treatment for Covid if we are vaccinated.

We don’t know what this autumn and winter hold in terms of spikes in flu and Covid viruses, or new variants. The best way for us all to protect ourselves and our loved ones is to have the vaccines when they are offered to us.

In addition to the vaccination sites in health centres, pharmacies and some GP practices, convenient local sites, like those at Blackburn bus station and coming next week to Darwen market square, make it even easier for us to get our jabs. And you don’t need to book – just walk in at a time that suits you.

Already over 1,000 people across Lancashire and South Cumbria have taken up the offer of their Covid autumn booster.

Carole McCann, Chief Nurse for the Lancashire and South Cumbria Covid-19 vaccination programme, said:

The NHS Covid-19 autumn booster is off to a great start in Lancashire and South Cumbria with over 100,000 people topping up their protection ahead of winter.

More people are eligible for the jab and with experts warning that Covid-19 and flu could combine to cause real problems for patients and the NHS this winter, we want to ensure that everyone gets the protection they need as quickly and conveniently as possible.

In Blackburn with Darwen, free transport is available to anyone going to get a Covid vaccination, including by bus to the pop-up vaccination site inside Blackburn bus station.

Here’s how you can travel for free to get a Covid vaccination:

• By bus – just tell the driver you’re going for a Covid jab and travel for free
• By taxi – call (01254) 777888 or 696996 and book a taxi on the BwD Vaxi Taxi account.

Vaccine appointments can be booked via the National Booking Service, by calling 119 or by visiting the online booking service.

Alternatively, walk into your vaccination local clinic – appointments are not always needed.

To book a vaccination at home, call 0300 790 6856 between 10am and 8pm daily.

Read the latest blog on the UKHSA website about why we need to boost our winter protection.