Social media campaign urges Brits to get vaccinated for winter
Government launches a social media campaign to promote a new NHS App feature which helps people check their eligibility and book their flu vaccination
- Flu vaccination drive a key part of NHS winter preparations
- Social media campaigns and NHS App make booking easier than ever
- 10 million vaccinated and millions more encouraged to come forward for their free NHS flu vaccination
The NHS is urging millions of people eligible for a free flu vaccine to help protect themselves, their families and ease the pressure on England’s health services this winter.
Data released today shows more than 10 million flu vaccinations have been delivered since bookings first opened in August and vaccinations began in September - including 2.7 million this week.
Appointments are available for the millions more who are still eligible for their free NHS flu vaccine as the government, NHS and the UKHSA work together on new and exciting ways to encourage more people to come forward.
The government has launched a social media campaign running across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and - for the first time – TikTok and is also promoting a new feature on the NHS App which helps people check their eligibility and book their flu vaccination at a community pharmacy.
The ‘Manage a Vaccination in School’ (MAVIS) programme – which streamlines school-age immunisation programmes - has also been accelerated to cover 14,000 schools this year.
In a further effort to see more kids vaccinated against the flu, later this year the government will launch the first ever ‘catch-up’ programme from community pharmacies for school children who missed their vaccinations earlier in the year.
Making sure all those eligible, especially the most vulnerable, take up their flu vaccine is a key part of ensuring the health service prepares for one of our most challenging winters.
Health Minister James Frith said:
Vaccines save lives. It has never been easier to find out if you are eligible and get vaccinated, helping protect yourself and reduce pressure on the NHS during the winter season.
Eligibility is focused on those most vulnerable - from young children to older adults and people with long-term health conditions - so if you are eligible, please come forward this winter.
Flu is not just a bad cold. It can cause serious complications, hospital treatment and death, particularly for those most at risk including young children, pregnant women, older people, and people with certain long-term conditions.
Vaccination remains one of the best defences, helping prevent serious illness and avoidable admissions.
Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, said:
It’s easier than ever for anyone who is eligible to come forward and get their flu vaccine, whether it’s at a GP surgery, high street pharmacy, community pop up clinic or at school, and it’s one of the best things you can do to protect yourself and your family ahead of winter.
The NHS app is a fantastic and quick way to book, or you can contact your GP or find a pharmacy near you.
If you’re a parent, we’re making it easier to consent to your child being vaccinated in school with new digital forms.
We are expecting this winter to be tough, but flu vaccines are a vital way for you to avoid becoming really ill and hospitalised, so please do book your flu jab as soon as possible.
UKHSA estimates that flu vaccination prevented around 100,000 hospitalisations and 7,000 deaths in England in the last year.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said:
Flu can be a serious illness for vulnerable people, and life-threatening for some. It is important that those eligible for free NHS flu vaccines get vaccinated.
Frontline health workers have a professional responsibility to protect their patients and this includes getting vaccinated against transmissible diseases.
The latest cold mortality report out today shows 2,200 deaths were associated with cold weather which poses a serious risk to health, particularly for people who are more vulnerable because of their age, health, or living circumstances. Vaccines are a way to help protect yourself.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:
Cold weather poses a serious risk to health, particularly for people who are more vulnerable because of their age, health, or living circumstances. Our cold weather mortality report shows that around 2,200 people died as a result of very low temperatures last winter.
While this estimate of cold-associated deaths is lower than we saw during the previous winter, these figures show that even short periods of cold weather can have serious effects on health and can lead to increased deaths in the days and weeks that follow.
As we head into winter, it is important that everyone takes simple steps to protect themselves and others. This includes keeping parts of our homes warm, checking in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable, and following weather forecasts and public health advice during cold weather.
The department is also working with key charities to support people with long-term conditions to further strengthen this vaccination drive. British Heart Foundation, Parkinsons UK, Asthma + Lung UK, Diabetes UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Stroke Association, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, National Kidney Federation and MS Society are the confirmed signatories to a joint open letter encouraging eligible people to get better protected.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at British Heart Foundation, said:
Flu can be dangerous for people living with heart and circulatory conditions. People who have had a heart attack are at greater risk of having another if they catch flu, and it can also make conditions like heart failure much worse.
Getting your flu vaccine takes just five minutes, but it could help protect you from serious health complications this winter. It also helps reduce pressure on the NHS at one of the busiest times of year. Please do not put it off - book your vaccine as soon as you can.
Emily Holzhausen CBE, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers UK, said:
If you look after a disabled or older person, who may be put at risk if you become ill, you are entitled to a free flu jab. You should be able to request this from your GP surgery or local pharmacist. We want unpaid carers to be aware of their eligibility and make sure that they don’t miss out on an important way to protect themselves and the person they care for this winter.
Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, President of the Royal College of GPs, said:
As winter approaches, GPs and our teams are already seeing patients with flu. While for most people flu will be unpleasant, for those in at-risk groups, it can be really serious, so taking steps to stay safe over the coming months is incredibly important.
Flu vaccination is safe and offers the best protection against serious illness. Getting a flu jab not only protects vulnerable patients from serious illness, it also helps reduce the spread of flu in our communities. That is why we encourage all eligible patients who have been invited for their vaccination to contact their GP or book an appointment through the NHS Flu Vaccination Service.
Sarah Sleet, Chief Executive at Asthma + Lung UK, said:
For nearly 12 million people in the UK living with a lung condition, winter can be a frightening time. For them flu is far more than just a few days in bed. It can trigger serious and potentially life-threatening flare-ups leading to emergency hospital admissions.
Last winter, fewer than half of people under the age of 65 with chronic respiratory disease had the flu vaccine, despite being seven times more likely to die from flu.
Everyone eligible for a vaccine should take up the offer, giving themselves the best protection this winter, because when breathing is hard, nothing is easy.
David Newbold, Director of Community at Parkinson’s UK, said:
People with Parkinson’s, especially those with advanced Parkinson’s, can be more vulnerable to chest infections. As we head into winter, we encourage everyone with the condition to take up the vaccinations they’re eligible for to help protect themselves.
People recently diagnosed or under 65 may not realise they’re eligible, so it’s really important they know to ask for the vaccination. Getting vaccinated can help protect you and your loved ones, giving you greater peace of mind and helping you to continue living well with Parkinson’s.
Douglas Twenefour, Head of Clinical at Diabetes UK said:
The flu can pose significant risk for people with diabetes, causing complications that leave them vulnerable to serious illness.
Rising blood sugar levels are natural when someone with diabetes has an infection, but serious infections such as flu can cause blood sugar levels to rise dangerously high.
With winter approaching, the flu vaccine provides the best protection for people with diabetes to stay safe from the virus.
Anthony Cunliffe, Lead Medical Adviser at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:
Flu can be much more serious for people living with cancer, particularly for those whose immune system may be weakened by their cancer or treatment. Getting vaccinated against flu is one of the important steps people can take to help protect themselves during the winter months.
We encourage anyone living with cancer to take up the opportunity for a flu vaccine and speak to their healthcare team if they have any questions about when or how they should have their vaccination. It’s also important that people who care for someone with cancer check whether they are eligible for vaccination too.
Winter can be an especially worrying time for people living with cancer, but taking simple steps such as getting vaccinated can help people feel better prepared and protected.
Janet Morrison OBE, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, said:
Community pharmacies are making it easier for people to protect themselves and their loved ones this winter. Sitting at the heart of local communities, they offer convenient and trusted provision of NHS flu and Covid vaccinations.
Vaccination remains one of the best ways to prevent serious illness and ease pressure on the NHS. Community pharmacists have long vaccinated adults against flu and can now also vaccinate eligible children, as well as offering Covid boosters for the most vulnerable. So if you’re eligible, pop into your local pharmacy or book online today.
Peter Lloyd, Senior Policy Manager at the MS Society, said:
We encourage everyone with MS to consider getting a free flu jab this winter. MS is debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable, and becoming ill with the flu can make MS symptoms worse. It might even trigger an MS relapse. The flu jab can protect people from the worst effects of the most common type of flu that’s around this year, and your main carer can also get it for free.
Andrea Brown, Chief Executive, National Kidney Federation, said:
At the NKF, we hear from people living with kidney disease every day, and we understand how worrying the winter months can be. Getting vaccinated before winter can help protect against severe illness and reduce the severity of symptoms and the risk of hospitalisation if you catch flu. We would encourage everyone who is eligible for the vaccines to take up the offer.
David Ramsden, Chief Executive, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said:
Flu vaccinations are an essential part of reducing the risk that people with cystic fibrosis get seriously ill. I encourage everyone to get their flu jab to support people with CF to remain as well as possible this winter.
John James OBE, Chief Executive, Sickle Cell Society, said:
We urge everyone living with sickle cell disorder to take up their free NHS flu vaccination this winter. People living with the condition already face significant challenges in managing their health, and the cold winter months can make this harder. Flu can also bring serious illness and hospitalisation. The impact can be considerable, both for the person affected and for the family supporting them.
Having the flu vaccine is an important step people can take to help protect themselves against serious illness this winter, and we urge everyone affected to use one of the simple routes to getting an appointment booked.
Juliet Bouverie OBE, CEO of the Stroke Association, said:
There are 1.4 million stroke survivors in the UK today, and protecting their health from infections such as flu is particularly important. Flu can cause serious illness and complications, especially for people living with other health conditions, including high blood pressure.
We know that flu places additional strain on the body, and research has shown that influenza infection is associated with a temporary increase in the risk of having a first or further stroke.
Stroke can have a life-changing impact on survivors and their families, and the number of people experiencing a stroke is rising. Getting vaccinated against flu is a simple and effective way to reduce the risk of illness and its complications. We encourage everyone who is eligible, including stroke survivors, to take up their flu vaccination and help protect themselves and those around them this winter.
To help drive uptake for those eligible, there are more opportunities to get a vaccine than ever before. These include:
- School teams have been asked to visit every school by the end of November, with second visits completed by 11 December. Parents can help by returning consent forms promptly and vaccinating children helps protect them, reduce flu spreading to others and limit disruption to learning.
- Participating pharmacies offer vaccination to two- and three-year-olds and children aged two to 17 in clinical risk groups. School-age pharmacy catch-up starts on 1 December.
- NHS teams are taking vaccines into pharmacies, schools, maternity services, care homes, pop-up clinics and mobile vans. Outreach teams and charity partners are reaching people sleeping rough or using homeless hostels and night shelters, so they are not left behind. Pregnant women can ask their maternity team, GP or pharmacist, following earlier pharmacy booking access this year.
Adults aged 65 and older, those with long term conditions, pregnant women and those with caring roles are just some of the people who are eligible for a free NHS flu vaccination. Those eligible can book through the NHS website or App, 119, a person’s GP or a participating walk-in pharmacy.