Flu Immunisation
You may be invited for a flu jab if you are:
- over 65 years of age
- pregnant
or have:
- a serious heart or chest complaint, including asthma
- serious kidney disease
- diabetes
- lowered immunity due to disease or treatment such as steroid medication or cancer treatment
- if you have ever had a stroke
We will contact you directly if you are eligible.
Pneumococcal Vaccine
The pneumococcal vaccine (or ‘pneumo jab’ or pneumonia vaccine as it’s also known)
protects against pneumococcal infections.
Pneumococcal infections are caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and can lead to pneumonia, septicaemia (a kind of blood poisoning) and meningitis. Read more about why the pneumococcal vaccination is needed.
Who should have the pneumococcal vaccine?
A pneumococcal infection can affect anyone. However, some people need the pneumococcal vaccination because they are at higher risk of complications. These include:
- all children under the age of two
- adults aged 65 or over
- children and adults with certain long-term health conditions, such as a serious heart or kidney condition
Read more about who should have the pneumo jab.
How often is the pneumococcal vaccine given?
Babies receive the pneumococcal vaccine as three separate injections, at 2 months, 4 months and 12-13 months. People over-65 only need a single pneumococcal vaccination which will protect for life. It is not given annually like the flu jab.
People with a long term health condition may need just a single one-off pneumococcal vaccination or five-yearly vaccination depending on their underlying health problem.
Childhood Immunisations
Please contact the surgery to make an appointment.
One of the most important things that a parent can do for their child is to make sure that they have all their routine childhood vaccinations. It’s the most effective way of keeping them protected against infectious diseases.
Ideally, children should have their jabs at the right age to protect them as early as possible and minimise the risk of infection.
Find out which jabs your child needs, when they need them, and what the benefits of each jab are.
Please call the surgery to make an appointment.
For more information please visit the websites below:
Useful links
Monkeypox or Mpox vaccine
Monkeypox is a rare infection most commonly found in west or central Africa. There has recently been an increase in cases in the UK, but the risk of catching it is low. Information about the virus and arranging a vaccination against it can be found on here.
Polio vaccines
You may have read in the news that children under 9 will/maybe be offered a Polio vaccine booster
We are waiting for details from NHS England about what vaccines to give, who to and when the vaccines will be delivered to the surgery. We will contact all those affected as soon as we have the information.
Useful information regarding Vaccinations:
• Why vaccines are safe and effective Why vaccination is safe and important – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
• Oxford vaccine project Vaccine Knowledge | (ox.ac.uk ) (translations available)
• Polio, flu and MMR resources – publications website Search Publications – Health Publications
• Immunisation information for migrants (translations available) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immunisation-information-for-migrants