With Christmas just six weeks away and thoughts turning to family get-togethers or even trips abroad, Lincolnshire people who are eligible are being urged not to overlook getting their covid autumn booster.
As of the 7th November, 254,884 people across the county have had their covid autumn booster, enhancing their protection from covid as we go into a winter period when – for the first time – covid and flu will be circulating through communities.
As we turn towards the festive season and holidays, the county’s two Mass Vaccination Centres at the Weighing Rooms, Lincoln, and at PRSA, Boston, have good availability for both pre-booked appointments and walk-ins for the covid autumn booster.
“We’ve seen considerable numbers of people come in for their autumn booster over the last few weeks, but we did start to see a bit of a drop-off in numbers around half-term,” comments Julie Humphreys, Head of Clinical Services, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust.
“At this point in time we are still working towards an end date in mid-December for the covid autumn booster programme, meaning that after this point you may find it more difficult to get an autumn booster.
“Add to this the fact that many of us will be hoping to spend time with our loved ones over Christmas and the need to ensure you’re up to date with your covid vaccinations – including having an autumn booster if you’re eligible – becomes more urgent, to protect both yourself and those you care about.
“Amongst the different groups of people we are particularly keen to see is our health and social care colleagues across the county, many of whom are frontline staff. Like everyone else they are welcome to either make an appointment or come and see us on a walk-in basis for their covid autumn booster.”
You can find out more about when covid autumn booster walk-ins are available at both PRSA, Boston, and at the Weighing Rooms, Lincoln, by visiting our Grab a Jab page. Alternatively, you can visit the national walk-in site.
If you’d rather book an appointment for your covid autumn booster, you can do this online using the National Booking System or by calling 119. There is a list of scheduled vaccination clinics, which you can book an appointment for, at both PRSA and the Weighing Rooms.
In addition to those people aged 50 and over, appointments for a covid autumn booster can also be pre-booked by pregnant women, children and adults aged 5-49 who are in a clinical risk group or are household contacts of someone with immunosuppression, carers aged 16 – 49 years and frontline health and social care workers.
“Locally and nationally the NHS has done everything possible to enable everyone eligible to get a covid autumn booster if they want to, providing as much flexibility as we can, which we know is important in order to fit around work, childcare, other commitments and life in general,” adds Julie.
“You need to give your autumn booster around two weeks to build up to maximum efficacy, meaning if you get yours today you’ll have the maximum protection from late November onwards. So, please don’t delay – come and see us for your covid autumn booster”.
It’s also important to get your flu jab if you’re eligible – if you are aged 50 and over, have certain health conditions, are pregnant, in long-stay residential care, or in receipt of a carer’s allowance or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if you get sick, or you live with someone more likely to get a severe infection due to a weakened immune system.
Many of the GP and community pharmacy-run covid vaccination sites around the county are offering people the opportunity to get their flu jab at the same time as their covid autumn booster, although the Meres Vaccination Centre, Grantham, the Weighing Rooms, Lincoln, and PRSA, Boston, are not and are only offering covid vaccinations.
Published 10/11/2022