Latest figures from the programme
- 386,175 Autumn booster vaccinations and 8,063 primary vaccinations have been given within SSOT vaccination sites since September.
- Currently 578,531 registered patients within SSOT are eligible for a COVID-19 Autumn booster – 66.8% of these have received their vaccination.
A national push on flu vaccinations
Flu cases in hospitals have increased by almost 47% in the last week. New figures for the week leading up to New Year’s Day showed there were 5,105 patients with flu in general and acute hospital beds, up from 3,479 the previous week. The number of patients in hospital with COVID-19 has also risen to an average of 9,390.
While almost 20 million people have had a flu jab and more than 17 million people have had a COVID-19 booster, there are still a number of eligible people who are yet to take up their winter vaccinations and are therefore at increased risk of serious illness.
Dr Paddy Hannigan, Clinical Lead of the Vaccination Programme in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, said: “We have delivered thousands of flu jabs across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, protecting thousands of people and keeping them out of hospital. But unfortunately, flu admissions continue to be very high at our local hospitals and so it remains vital that anyone eligible, including pregnant women and children aged two and three, who are yet to have their flu jab, book in for one as soon as possible.”
Dr Hannigan added: “We’re really pleased to be able to offer, for the first time, flu vaccinations at many of our walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics. There is an overlap in eligibility for both vaccinations, so it makes sense to offer both in the same place.”
Flu jabs are available for:
- people aged 50 and over
- people aged over six months to 49 in a clinical risk group
- some secondary school-aged children
- 2 and 3-year-olds
- pregnant women
- primary school-aged children
- care home residents
- carers
- frontline healthcare workers
- frontline social care staff who do not have access to occupational health schemes
- household contacts of people with weakened immune systems.
To get a flu jab you can:
- contact your GP practice to book an appointment
- many COVID-19 clinics now also offer flu vaccines. Find a local walk-in clinic on www.nhs.uk
- enquire at a local pharmacist.
Site hibernations
As well as temporarily closing some sites, we are ensuring that there is adequate site coverage across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent so that local people can access the vaccine at convenient places, local to them. Many community pharmacies – many of which have great locations on local highstreets – will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination, alongside our mobile vaccination teams who will hold clinics across the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent area
A list of active sites from January 2023 can be found here