Stay well this winter, get vaccinated

Information collected through the health service shows that you're more likely to be seriously ill if you get the flu and Covid-19 at the same time.

So, with rates of Covid on the increase in the UK once more, what can you do to ensure you and your family are protected this winter?

Get a Covid booster

The NHS is offering a Covid-19 booster jab to anyone that had the second dose of the vaccine at least six months ago.

The booster vaccine provides longer term protection against you getting seriously ill from Covid-19. People being invited for the booster include:

people aged 50 and over
people aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts them at high risk of getting seriously ill from Covid-19
people aged 16 and over who are a main carer for someone at high risk from Covid-19.

Read more about the booster vaccine and how to book it.

Get the flu jab

The NHS is also encouraging those at risk of getting seriously ill from the flu to book in for the flu vaccine too.

You can get the NHS flu vaccine free if:

you’re 50 years and over (this includes those turning 50 by 31 March 2022)
you have certain medical conditions
you’re pregnant
you’re a frontline adult social care worker who can’t get a vaccination from your employer.

Find out more about the flu vaccine and find a local pharmacy that’s offering the vaccine.

What else can I do?

There are many things we can all do to help minimise the spread of the Covid-19 virus, this includes wearing a face mask in indoor public spaces, maintaining a safe distance from other people when outside of your home, using hand sanitizer where needed and washing your hands thoroughly. When socialising indoors, you should also ensure that your space is well ventilated by opening windows or doors where possible.

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