Mass flu vaccination centre opens in Worcester
It's believed to be the first of its kind in the country
Last updated 20th Oct 2021
A mass flue vaccination centre has opened at Worcester Racecourse.
It's believed to be the first of its kind in the country and aims to jab the 40,000 people eligible for a flu jab in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
It's been modelled on the mass Covid vaccination centres which were opened to vaccinate people against coronavirus en masse.
Patients will receive a text message from their GP inviting them to book their jab at the site and there are a limited number of walk-in appoints available as well.
Once people have received their flu vaccine, they are being encouraged to take a short walk to the vaccine centre at the University of Worcester who are offering booster Covid jabs.
Over one million residents of Herefordshire and Worcestershire have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and GPs in Worcester hope that uptake for the flu vaccine in 2021 will be similarly strong.
Dr Nikki Burger, Senior GP Partner at St Johns House Medical Centre and Clinical Director at Worcester City PCN said: “It’s easy to underestimate flu—but this virus kills tens of thousands of people in the UK every year. We want to make sure that the people of Worcester have the best possible opportunity to protect themselves against this virus as well as COVID.
We’re also allocated enough vaccines for our eligible population, so by coming to Worcester Racecourse for their jab when they’re invited to do so, they’ll be helping to make sure the vaccine allocated for them doesn’t go to waste."
Who is eligible for a flu vaccine?
- People aged 50 or over (or those turning 50 before March 2022)
- People with certain health conditions
- People who are pregnant or in long stay residential care
- Anyone who receives a carer’s allowance or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk
- Anyone who lives with someone who is more likely to get infections
- frontline health and social care workers
- The site officially opens on Wednesday 29th September. It's open everyday between 9am and 5pm, except Thursday when it's open 12pm to 8pm.
- The University of Worcester vaccination centre is open Tuesday to Saturday 8am to 8pm.
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