Adults aged fifty to sixty-four years old are now eligible for a free flu vaccine in England

The government has recently announced that adults aged fifty to sixty-four years old are now eligible for a free flu vaccine in England; however, they will be called upon later in the year for a vaccination. Families of those in the first year of secondary schools and those shielding will also be eligible for the vaccine.

The vaccination plan will cover over thirty-million people, nearly double those vaccinated under the scheme last year.

The government outlined in a statement that the developed scheme is part of a strategy to reduce winter pressures on emergency care and A&E, as well as prepare the NHS if there’s a second peak.

According to a statement, the Department of Health and Social Care will work with clinicians to determine when to open the programme, to invite adults aged fifty to sixty, once vaccination of the most at-risk groups has taken place.

Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, stated: “It’s mission-critical that we pull out all the stops to get ready for winter and the prime minister has already announced three-billion pounds to protect the NHS. We are now taking another important step to help protect the wider public by giving the flu vaccination to more people than ever before. This will be the biggest flu vaccination programme in history and will help protect our NHS as we head into winter.”

NHS Medical Director for primary care, Nikki Kanani, stated: “GPs, nurses, community pharmacists and others will be going to great lengths this year to give this vital protection to millions more people in a safe and convenient way, so when the time comes I would urge everyone invited for a flu vaccination to get it as soon as possible.”