Friday 02 September 2022
This autumn you will be able to receive COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccinations at either the new Community Vaccination Centre (CVC) or your registered Primary Care Practice. Residents in Alderney will continue to be able to receive their vaccinations at the Island Medical Centre.
Raymond Falla House has been chosen as the Community Vaccination Centre (CVC) site to deliver the COVID-19 autumn booster and seasonal influenza (flu) programme, which will begin to roll out next week.
Having recently been vacated, Raymond Falla House presented an ideal location in terms of size, parking and not requiring infrastructure changes to host the vaccination centre. Final arrangements are being put in place ahead of September which includes timing of clinics so that they do not clash with school start/finish times to ease congestion in the area.
Like the winter 2021/22 booster programme, the autumn COVID-19 booster will be co-administered with the annual flu programme whereby those eligible for both vaccines will be able to receive them at the same time if both vaccines are available on island.
Following the latest guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the Committee forHealth & Social Care has agreed that the following Bailiwick residents will be offered a COVID-19 booster this autumn:
- All adults aged 50 years and over
- Those aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, including pregnant women
- Those aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
- Those aged 16 to 49 who are carers
- Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
- Front line health and social care workers
Letters will be sent to those who are eligible for a COVID-19 booster inviting them to make an appointment to attend the CVC at Raymond Falla House or at their normal doctor's surgery. All appointments, whether for Primary Care clinics or the CVC, will be made through the States' Vaccination Call Centre. Details will be included on the invitation letter.
Islanders are reminded that they cannot have a booster until 28 days have passed since a positive LFT. Those aged 12 to 17 will need to wait 12 weeks.
This year the Bailiwick will also continue to offer the extended seasonal influenza vaccination programme. This means that all those aged 50 and over, those who are classed as being at risk from an influenza infection and children and young people aged from two to those in Year 11 at school, will all receive an offer of an influenza vaccine. The flu vaccinations for children and young people who are of school age will be provided by the School Nurse team as normal in school.
Alex Hawkins-Drew, Vaccination Programme lead said:
'We are entering the autumn/winter this year with some uncertainty. Australia has had an early and very severe flu season and we expect this to be replicated in the northern hemisphere in the coming months. We also expect to have COVID-19 circulating in our community.
'We do know that the successful take up of our COVID-19 vaccination programme has meant that recent outbreaks of COVID-19, particularly in older residents, has seen fewer experiencing severe disease or requiring hospitalisation.'
