COVID-19 Autumn Booster

The NHS is inviting the people who are eligible for their COVID vaccine. To book an appointment on the National Booking Service.

Across South Yorkshire, GP practices are also inviting their patients to book a COVID vaccination. All patients in eligible groups will be offered the vaccine over the coming weeks / months. 

Further information is available here.

The following people are eligible for an autumn Covid booster:

• Residents in care homes for older adults
• All adults aged 65 years and over
• People aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as defined in tables 3 and 4 of the Covid-19 chapter of the UKHSA Green Book on Immunisation
• frontline health and social care workers.
• People aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression, as defined in the UKHSA Green Book
• People aged 16 to 64 years who are carers, as defined in the UKHSA Green Book, and staff working in care homes for older adults

This is because the risk of severe Covid continues to be strongly associated with increasing age and underlying health conditions.

• Vaccines help to protect against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid.
• People who received an autumn booster vaccine last year were around 53% less likely to go to the hospital with Covid in the two to four weeks after getting vaccinated, compared to those who didn't get a booster.
• Last year's autumn booster programme saw almost 84% of over-80s vaccinated and more than 73% of 65-70-year-olds, protecting the most vulnerable and helping us to live with Covid

Tables 3 and 4 of the Covid-19 chapter of UKHSA the Green Book defines who is in a clinical risk group.

Clinical risk groups for individuals aged 16 years and over include:

• Chronic respiratory disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic neurological disease, such as stroke and individuals with cerebral palsy, profound multiple learning disabilities, Down’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease and related or similar conditions.
• Diabetes
• Those with immunosuppression
• Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
• Morbid obesity
• Severe mental illness
• Younger adults in long-stay nursing and residential care settings
• Pregnant women

Clinical risk groups for those aged under 16 years include:

• Chronic respiratory disease
• Chronic heart conditions
• Chronic conditions of the kidney, liver or digestive system
• Chronic neurological disease
• Endocrine disorders
• Immunosuppression
• Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen
• Serious genetic abnormalities that affect a number of systems
• Pregnancy

COVID-19 vaccination is safe and effective. It gives you the best protection against COVID-19. Millions of adults and children around the world have had a COVID-19 vaccine.

The safety of the vaccines has been extensively reviewed in both adults and children by independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The vaccines continue to be monitored and reports of serious side effects are very rare.

• Vaccinations will begin on 11 September for those most at risk, including adult care home residents and people who are immunosuppressed.
• From 18 September, the NHS will start to invite people in priority order of risk and those eligible will be able to book an appointment on the National Booking Service.
• Further information is available here.

• This year’s autumn flu and Covid-19 vaccine programmes will start earlier than planned in England as a precautionary measure following the identification of a new Covid variant.
• The precautionary measure is being taken as scientists from UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) examine the variant BA.2.86, which was first detected in the UK on Friday 18 August.
• According to the latest risk assessment by the UKHSA, BA.2.86 has a high number of mutations and has appeared in several countries in individuals without travel history.
• While BA.2.86 is not currently classified as a variant of concern, advice from the UKHSA suggests that speeding up the autumn vaccine programme will deliver greater protection, supporting those at greatest risk of severe illness and reducing the potential impact on the NHS.

• The JCVI advises that people who have not yet received their first Covid jab should be offered a single vaccine dose as their primary course.
• The criteria for eligibility for a first Covid vaccine is the same as the autumn 2023 booster.

• Vaccines help to protect against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid.
• People who received an autumn booster vaccine last year were around 53% less likely to go to the hospital with Covid in the two to four weeks after getting vaccinated, compared to those who didn't get a booster.
• Last year's autumn booster programme saw almost 84% of over-80s vaccinated and more than 73% of 65-70-year-olds, protecting the most vulnerable and helping us to live with Covid.

If you usually get your care at home and you need a home visit, please contact your GP surgery in the first instance. If they are not currently providing COVID-19 vaccination services, they should be able to arrange a home visit for you with another local NHS service. ​

If you have had a stem cell transplant or CAR-T therapy, your specialist or GP may advise you that you need to be referred for re-vaccination against COVID-19. They must provide a completed patient specific direction form to advise on the best timing for your vaccination around planned treatment.

Please telephone: 01226 433600

Please telephone: 01302 566 300
 

Please telephone: 01709 302000

Please telephone: 0114 305 1000