New eligible group for flu vaccinations in North Yorkshire

Flu vaccinations in North Yorkshire are to be available to 50 to 64 year olds from December.

Patients will be able to get a free flu vaccine from their GP or pharmacy.

This is a new eligible group that has been added to the national flu programme, with the initial phase of flu vaccinations well under way.

Practices will be able to access vaccine stock from the Government’s central supply for this newly eligible group.

Patients are being asked to wait to hear from their GP Surgeries about a vaccine appointment as they will need time to plan and order the vaccinations.

NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Governing Body GP, Dr Bruce Willoughby, said:

“We have been pleased to see such a high uptake of flu vaccinations for eligible patients in North Yorkshire across the programme so far.

“Having this new 50-64 year old cohort provides us with the opportunity to protect even more of our population at a time where there are additional health risks associated with Covid-19 (coronavirus).

“Everyone in this new cohort of patients will be contacted by their practice in due course, and we ask for patience while new supplies of vaccine are ordered for December onwards.

The CCG says If you've had Covid-19, it's safe to have the flu vaccine. It'll be effective at helping to prevent flu.

If you are in an ‘at risk’ group and have not yet got an appointment, your GP practice will contact you as soon as they can.

For more information about at risk groups and what counts as a clinical ‘at risk group’ go to: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/who-should-have-flu-vaccine/