This Autumn we will be offering appointments for co-administration of both the Flu and COVID-19 vaccines to all of our eligible patients.
Our main Flu clinics are scheduled for Saturday 5th October & Saturday 19th October in Ilfracombe and Wednesday 9th October in Combe Martin. Latest scientific evidence shows that protection from the flu vaccine decreases over time so it is better to have the vaccine closer to when flu typically circulates which is why our clinics are slightly later than normal this year.
We will be sending out staggered Flu and COVID-19 Vaccination invitations via text message to our eligible patients shortly. If you receive a text invite, please try to book your vaccination as soon as possible using the link provided. The link will only last for 7 days.
We will send out invitations in the post for anyone eligible who does not have a mobile phone number or has dissented to text messaging.
Our Vaccination Line opens from Monday 9th September weekdays 11am – 3pm* (Tuesday 10th, line will close at 1pm) and runs for 1 week for anyone wishing to book over the phone if you have had a letter or unable to book via the link.
PLEASE DO NOT CALL TO BOOK YOUR VACCINATION OUTSIDE OF THE SPECIFIED TIME, AS THIS COULD OVERWHELM OUR PHONE LINES AND BLOCK IMPORTANT CALLS FROM GETTING THROUGH.
The vaccination line is only available to book flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, please do not select this option for any other bookings or enquiries as the call handler will be unable to assist you.
NHS Flu and COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility this year is as follows:-
• Children aged 2 to 15 years old on 31 August 2024 – FLU ONLY*
• pregnant women
• Anyone aged 6 months to 65 years in a clinical risk group**
• Everyone aged 65 years and over
• Adult Care Home Residents
• People who receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person who may be at risk if the carer gets sick.
• Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• Frontline health and social care workers
* Pre-school children aged 2 or 3 years (on 31 August 2024) will be vaccinated at the practice. Children aged 4 to 15 years will usually be vaccinated at school.
** COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 6 months to 18 years in a clinical risk group will need to book their vaccination via the National Booking Service (see details below)
If you are not eligible for free NHS Flu Vaccination, you may be able to pay for vaccination through your local pharmacy. Please contact them for information.
If you want to have the vaccinations separately, you can still book your flu vaccination with us but you may need to book your COVID-19 vaccination at a vaccination centre, due to limited appointment and stock availability. Should you need to book the COVID-19 vaccination through the National Booking Service, their service will open for bookings on Monday 23rd September https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/covid-19-services/covid-19-vaccination-services/book-covid-19-vaccination/
If you do not wish to have the vaccinations, please just ignore the invitation. We DO NOT need to know.
PLEASE NOTE – This year we will be running the clinics as per the appointment times booked. For the last few years, we have run a system of ‘first come – first served’. However, with the introduction of co-administering the COVID-19 vaccination this year, it is important that patients arrive at their booked appointment time to prevent a backlog as the appointment times will be longer.
As always, these clinics are very busy as is our car park so if you are able to, it would be appreciated if you could arrive on foot to help with pressure.
Thank you
