Eligible patients are being welcomed back to community clinics across Ayrshire to receive their winter vaccinations.
COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccines are being offered to those most at risk, with the aim of preventing severe illness and hospitalisations. If you are eligible for winter vaccines you are urged to come forward, as viruses like flu and COVID-19 are constantly changing, so having your vaccinations each year offers the best protection against the viruses circulating in the coming months.
Community clinics will begin hosting appointments from Monday 15 September. For the first weeks of the programme the focus will be on flu vaccinations only. Then from mid October those being offered both seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccinations will be invited to attend a clinic, or be visited by vaccinators to their home if housebound or living in a care home.
NHS letters with appointment details are being sent out, unless patients have indicated a digital preference to be contacted by SMS or email.
Child flu clinics are also now underway in schools, nurseries and at community clinics for pre-school children. If you are yet to return your child’s consent forms for the painless nasal spray child flu vaccine please do so as soon as possible.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran Director of Public Health Lynne McNiven said:
“Preparations are well underway for the delivery of our important winter vaccination programme, which will see tens of thousands of appointments take place in settings across Ayrshire once again this year.
“Some people are eligible for flu only, while others are invited for both seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. If you are offered one or both of these vaccines I’d urge you to take up the offer when it comes, as getting your vaccines is the best way to protect yourself. Winter viruses can cause severe illness, especially for those most at risk, including older people, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women.
“Please wait to be contacted and look out for your appointment details arriving by post, email or text message depending on your communication preferences. Patients should attend the appointment at the time and location allocated, unless this is unsuitable for some reason, in which case you can rearrange by following the instructions on your letter. We look forward to welcoming our Ayrshire winter vaccine recipients back to clinics over the coming weeks and months and I thank all our staff involved for their hard work in delivering the programme for 2025.”
More information is available on Winter vaccines | NHS inform, including a self-help guide that helps you find out the vaccines you may be eligible for and how you’ll be offered them.
ENDS
BACKGROUND
You’ll be offered flu and coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines this winter if you’re:
- living in a care home for older adults
- aged 75 and over
- aged 6 months and over with a weakened immune system
You’ll be offered the flu vaccine if you’re:
- aged 65 and over
- aged 18 to 64 with an eligible health condition
- pregnant
- living with someone who has a weakened immune system
- an unpaid or young carer
- a health care or patient facing social care worker
- a poultry worker or bird handler
- an asylum seeker living in a home office hotel or B&B accommodation
- experiencing homelessness or substance misuse
- living in a Scottish prison
- living in a long-stay residential care home or other long stay care facility
Read more about the winter vaccination programme in Ayrshire.
Read more about the child flu vaccine including who is eligible.
Picture
- Vaccinator Myra Hutton delivers flu vaccination to Thomas MacCorquodale at the St Quivox RC Church Hall clinic in Prestwick.