Covid-19 and flu vaccines

Covid-19 and flu vaccines are an important part of protecting yourself if you’re at increased risk from severe Covid-19 and flu.

Who is eligible?

The Covid-19 seasonal vaccine will be offered to:

The following people will be eligible for the flu vaccine:

people who are 65 and over
residents in a care home for older adults
pregnant women
persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group
frontline health and social care workers
immunosuppressed patients and persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers and staff working in care homes for older adults.
carers aged 16 to 64 years
working aged adults in long-stay residential care homes & settings & their staff

those aged 65 and over
those aged 6 months to under 65 years in a clinical risk group
pregnant women
residents in older adult care homes & their staff
carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
immunosuppressed patients and persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
frontline health and social care workers
carers aged 16 to 64 years
working aged adults in long-stay residential care homes & settings & their staff
all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2023
school-aged children (from Reception to Year 11)

How to book your vaccine

Those who are eligible will be able will be able to book their Covid-19 and flu vaccine by visiting https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/covid-19-services/covid-19-vaccination-services/book-covid-19-vaccination/ or by calling 119.

There is also a local booking telephone service available to all residents in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. To book call: 0116 497 5700, lines are open: Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm and on Saturday between 9am – 5pm.

If you book your appointment via your GP practice, you will need to make any amendments by contacting them directly.

Mobile Vaccination Service

The mobile vaccination service will be visiting local communities accross Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland so people can get their vaccinations without making an appointment.

Why should I get vaccinated?

The Covid-19 and flu vaccination programme provides vital protection to those eligible and their families over winter, keeping people from developing serious illnesses, and helping to minimise hospitalisations during busy winter months.

The protection offered by each dose of the Covid-19 and flu vaccine reduces over time and therefore it is very important that eligible people take up the offer of the next seasonal dose, in order to receive maximum protection.

Vaccination clinics for 5-11 years

Eligible children aged 5-11 years can now get their vaccinations at three pharmacies every Friday from 4pm to 5pm, commencing Friday 27^th October:

Oakwood Pharmacy, 2A Main Street, Woodhouse Eaves, Loughborough LE12 8RZ
Mistrys Pharmacy, 14 High Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7NJ
Pickfords Pharmacy, 21 High Street, Oakham, LE15 6AH

Further clinics for children aged 5-11 years will also be taking place at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Appointments can be booked on the National Booking System

Children aged 6 months to 4 yrs in clinical risk groups

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that clinically vulnerable children aged 6 months to 4 years should be offered a Covid-19 vaccine. Children with underlying health conditions have a much greater chance of serious illness from Covid-19 compared to children without underlying health conditions.

Those who are in clinical risk groups include children with chronic respiratory disease; chronic heart conditions; chronic conditions of the kidney, liver or digestive system; chronic neurological disease; endocrine disorders; mitochondrial disease, and those who have suppressed immune systems because they are having chemotherapy, radiotherapy, have leukaemia or are transplant recipients.

Those children who are eligible should be offered 2 doses of the vaccine, with eight to twelve weeks between the first and second doses.

If your child is identified as being in a clinical risk group, you will be invited to make an appointment for their vaccination at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Find out more at COVID-19 vaccination: at-risk children aged 6 months to 11 years – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Specialist Covid and flu vaccination clinics for people with a learning disability

Dedicated vaccination clinics are being provided for adults and children with a learning disability, living in leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The clinics will offer both the flu and Covid vaccines for anyone aged 5 years and over who is registered as having a learning disability.

The clinics have been designed to offer a calming, friendly and more supportive environment to people with a learning disability, their accompanying family members or carers. The clinics have longer appointment times and are staffed with health care professionals who specialise in learning disability support and care.

Every effort will be made to provide for individual needs; for people who do not wish to enter the clinic, vaccinations can be administered to them whilst they sit in their car outside.

All appointments need to be booked in advance to ensure the session can be managed to suit patient needs.

Watch our webinar below about Covid-19 vaccinations for children who are aged under 5 and are at an increased risk from Covid-19.

Covid-19 antiviral treatment

Click here to find out about the new arrangements for obtaining Covid-19 antiviral treatment

Useful links

Vaccinations received outside England

People who need to tell the NHS about Covid-19 vaccinations received outside England can now use a new digital service to provide vaccination evidence. This replaces the need to provide evidence in person.

Find out how to provide evidence of a vaccination received overseas

More information about Covid vaccination

Visit the national NHS website nhs.uk to find out more about the Covid vaccine, how it is given, possible side effects and ingredients.

Visit the national Covid-19 vaccination web page