2021 FLU PROGRAMME

Who is eligible for the flu vaccine this year:

• Patients eligible for vaccination under this ES are those patients who are included within the cohorts below:
  • those aged 6 months to under 50 years in clinical risk groups;
    • respiratory conditions, such as asthma (needing steroid inhaler or tablets), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and bronchitis
    • diabetes
    • heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
    • being very overweight – a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above
    • chronic kidney disease
    • liver disease, such as hepatitis
    • neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), or cerebral palsy
    • a learning disability
    • problems with your spleen, for example, sickle cell disease, or if you have had your spleen removed
    • a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
  • all pregnant women (including those women who become pregnant during the flu season)
  • those aged 50 years and over;
  • those in long-stay residential care homes;
  • carers;
  • locum GPs;
  • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals;
    • frontline health and social care staff employed by:
    • registered residential care or nursing home;
    • registered domiciliary care provider;
    • a voluntary managed hospice provider;
    • Direct Payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants;

and who are registered with the GP practice; or

• frontline health and social care staff employed by:
  • a registered residential care or nursing home; or
  • a voluntary managed hospice provider;

that are not registered with the GP practice but who elect to receive their vaccination from the GP practice.

• those living in:
  • long-stay facilities;
  • nursing homes;
  • other long-stay health or social care facilities; or
  • a housebound Patient as described in paragraph 11.16.

that are not registered with the GP practice.

• All frontline health and social care workers are expected to have influenza vaccination to protect those they care for.

For more information about the national flu programme, please visit:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu-influenza-vaccine/

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-flu-immunisation-programme-plan/national-flu-immunisation-programme-2021-to-2022-letter

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-flu-immunisation-programme-and-covid-19/health-matters-delivering-the-flu-immunisation-programme-during-the-covid-19-pandemic