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In continuation of the NHS Covid vaccine programme, Covid jabs for five and six-year olds will be available at the local vaccination centres or community pharmacies outside of school hours. Following the recent JCVI guidance that recommended all children between 5 and 11 would benefit from a non-urgent offer of the COVID vaccine, the NHS will send invitations to one million families with five and six-year-olds this week. "Invitations being sent to families this week will set out how easy and convenient it is to take up the offer of a vaccine as part of the NHS COVID vaccination programme by booking through the National Booking Service, or visiting their nearest walk-in site," NHS said. Between April 25 and May 1, there are already more than 33,500 children aged five to 11 booked in for their dose of the life-saving vaccine, with a further 50,000 slots still available. Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and Deputy Lead for the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme, said: "It is great to see so many families already booked in for their children to receive their Covid vaccine this week, helping to protect themselves against potential future waves of the virus.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is encouraging people to come forward for their first and/ or second dose of the Covid vaccine before the free offer ends on Friday (30 June). The NHS's world-leading vaccination programme has so far delivered over 146 million Covid jabs. Building on the success of autumn and spring booster programmes, a seasonal, targeted vaccination offer will remain open for those most at risk, in line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: "As we live with Covid without restrictions on our freedoms, it is right that we move towards a more targeted vaccination offer that prioritises those most at risk, so we can focus our efforts on cutting waiting lists for NHS treatment - one of the Prime Minister's top five priorities. As the offer for any adult to get a Covid vaccine comes to an end on 30 June, I would urge those who have not yet come forward to choose to have the first and second Covid vaccine. It takes minutes to get your jab and thousands of sites are open across England." This year's spring booster programme continues to gather pace, with over two million eligible people receiving their vital top-up dose.

The General Pharmaceutical Council reiterated its stand on Covid-19 vaccination, saying, "Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in all settings across Great Britain should be vaccinated against Covid -19, unless they are medically exempt." In a statement issued today (February 11), it strongly urged all pharmacyprofessionals, students and trainees to get fully vaccinated at the earliest. This reiteration follows the government's announcement on January 31, 2022 that it would not proceed with Covid vaccination as a mandatory condition of deployment for health and care staff providing CQC-regulated services in England. The Council stated that clinical trials have proven the efficacy and safety of Covid vaccines and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised their use in the UK.

Community pharmacies saved nearly 20,000 lives up to autumn 2021 by vaccinating people against the Covid-19, the National Pharmacy Association said based on a National Audit Office (NAO) report released on Friday (February 25). The report, having taken evidence from the NPA, highlighted that community pharmacies and GPs performed far beyond expectations in delivering the Covid-19 vaccine, as 71 per cent of jabs were administered by both healthcare providers till October-end, against an initial assumption of 56 per cent. The report cited UK Health Security Agency figures, which estimated that the programme overall prevented up to 128,000 deaths and 262,000 hospitalisations by September 24 and September 19, respectively. The estimated number is considerably higher, given the pivotal role played by pharmacies in this winter's phase of the vaccination programme, the NPA stated.

Community pharmacies must be involved in future planning for public health emergencies, especially in cases where a quick response is needed such as the Covid-19 pandemic, a European-wide research has recommended. The project, co-led by the University of Huddersfield professor Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar in medicines and healthcare, focuses on how community pharmacies dealt with the pandemic, covering 31 pharmacy interventions on Covid-19 in 32 countries in Europe. The interventions include prevention, response, and recovery measures. It also covers improved access to medicines, expanded powers granted to pharmacies, rapid antigen testing, along with Covid-19 vaccination. Community pharmacists in the US, Canada, and Australia have been engaged in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response strategic guidance after the 2009 flu pandemic. The aim of the research is to map the current reported practice and trends and review the pharmacies' intervention in Europe.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised booster vaccination to be offered this autumn (2023) for those at higher risk of severe Covid-19 in its interim advice to government on the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme for 2023. The JCVI also advised that for a smaller group of people, such as those who are older and those who are immunosuppressed, an extra booster vaccine dose in the spring should also be planned for. Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair of Covid-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said: "The Covid-19 vaccination programme continues to reduce severe disease across the population, while helping to protect the NHS. That is why we have advised planning for further booster vaccines for persons at higher risk of serious illness through an autumn booster programme later this year. We will very shortly also provide final advice on a spring booster programme for those at greatest risk."

All children aged five to 11 in England will be offered a Covid-19 vaccine, the government said on Wednesday (February 16) - following similar announcements in the rest of the UK. The move, coming nearly two months after British regulators approved Pfizer and BioNTech's shot for use among the age group, sees Britain following the lead of the United States, the European Union and other countries. It has only been vaccinating at-risk under-12s and those who live with immuno-suppressed people, using a lower-dose formulation of the jab that was found to be "safe and effective". However, health secretary Sajid Javid - who has responsibility for England only - said he had now accepted guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises UK health departments, to expand the rollout. "The NHS will prepare to extend this non-urgent offer to all children during April so parents can, if they want, take up the offer to increase protection against potential future waves of Covid-19 as we learn to live with this virus," he said in a statement.

Superdrug has reported more than 400 per cent spike in sale of the chickenpox vaccines in the UK. To protect children against the disease during chickenpox season, nearly nine out of 10 patients (87 per cent) have taken their wards under the age of five for vaccination in the last eight weeks. Chickenpox can be a seasonal disease with children usually catching it in the winter and spring, with UK peaks often between March and May. The last two years of spending time in and out of various lockdowns have meant less interaction between people, and so less transmission across the general population. Caris Newson, head of healthcare services at Superdrug, said: "One of the knock-on effects of Covid is that people have a greater awareness and understanding of the benefits that vaccines can offer. "We launched the chickenpox vaccination service five years ago in 2017 and it's now that we're beginning to see greater interest in how it can support family health. In fact, our fully qualified nurses have told us that they've had more parents ask about the chickenpox vaccination service, and word of mouth has then spread amongst parents and schools."

A community pharmacist, Viral Doshi was honoured with the British Citizen Award (BCA) on Thursday (26 January) at the Palace of Westminster for transforming his community centre into vaccination hub during Covid-19 pandemic. Viral was presented with his Medal of Honour by Liam Sargeant, Senior Company Communications Manager, from supporters P&G and TV presenter and Patron of the BCA, Nick Knowles, who hosted the event. At the height of the pandemic, Viral obtained approval to transform his community centre into a vaccination hub. Located in the heart of a multi-ethnic population, with social deprivation, surrounded by wards experiencing high rates of Covid-19. His determination to increase uptake and reduce vaccination hesitancy, led to 80,000 vaccinations being administered, the overall highest vaccination uptake in North West London. Viral is a passionate advocate for the role that GP practices and community pharmacies can play in supporting the health agenda. His objective, to provide better choice and access for the community have been fully met and appreciated by patients. His initiatives led to a dramatic increase in the clinical skills, knowledge and services offered by local community pharmacies around a variety of health topics. This enabled pharmacies to adopt a holistic health approach to working with their communities.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on Thursday (May 19) said that an anticipated autumn Covid booster campaign would be aimed at people aged over 65, care home residents, frontline health and social care workers and all adults in a clinical risk group. The UK is offering a spring booster to the over-75s, care home residents and immunosuppressed people, and ministers have spoken openly of plans for a further booster campaign in the autumn. In interim advice, the JCVI stopped short of recommending another shot for all adults, though said the advice would be reviewed and updated. "The JCVI's current view is that in autumn 2022, a Covid-19 vaccine should be offered to: residents in a care home for older adults and staff; frontline health and social care workers; all those 65 years of age and over; and adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group," the UK Health Security Agency said in a statement. Prime minister Boris Johnson, who was fiercely criticised for his handling of the early stages of the pandemic, lifted Covid restrictions in England in February, crediting Britain's quick initial vaccine rollout and the rollout of boosters with breaking the link between cases and deaths.

A pair of pharmacist brothers, who also own a popular restaurant in Kent, have started an innovative initiative 'Jabs with Kebabs' to encourage their community in England to come forward and take their Covid-19 vaccines. Rav and Raj Chopra, who own V's Punjabi Grill, an Indian restaurant in Gravesend, established the walk-in vaccine site after their father, Jagtar Chopra, became unwell with Covid-19 last year. The duo is among thousands to volunteer for the National Health Service (NHS) vaccine programme. Talking to the PA news agency, Raj said he was inspired by the experience of his father, who got infected with the virus and has fully recovered since then. "From a personal point of view, it was very debilitating to see Dad like that," said Raj Chopra. "It got everyone's emotions in play.

Well Pharmacy, one of the UK's leading independent pharmacy chains, has been offering flu vaccinations for free. The chain says it is concerned as the winter flu season is now in full force, with hospital admissions reaching a peak and flu stats higher than they have been in recent years. Recent data shared by NHS England showed that there was an increase in flu cases by nearly 70 per cent leaving many in hospital each week. Well Pharmacy is worried about those who have yet to have the flu jab and has been urging people to get one for free. It recognises that only children aged 2-11, people over 50, and those with certain medical conditions are eligible for free NHS jabs, leaving millions who would normally have to pay for a flu vaccination which usually costs £15. Research recently undertaken by the chain shows that a quarter of people (25 per cent) think that after so many Covid-19 jabs in the last few years, 'vaccine fatigue' has led to a perceived lack of motivation in others to get their jabs.

Pharmadoctor, a company which provides clinical service packages to pharmacists, has announced the launch of the UK's first private Covid vaccination service via its nationwide network of partner community pharmacies. For the first time, people who are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine (those aged 12 years and over) will be able to get the shots from their local independent pharmacy by paying as little as £45 per jab, the company said. The delivery of the new service is expected to start by 1st April at the latest by "thousands of pharmacists" using the Pharmadoctor eTool. To encourage pharmacists to sign up early to provide the service, the company is offering its package at half-price until 31st March.

Britain's booster programme for Covid-19 vaccinations is set to be expanded following advice from scientists. The government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said today (November 15) that all healthy adults aged 40-49 should be offered a booster, six months after their second dose. Previously, the booster programme was limited to those aged 50 and over, and the clinically vulnerable. So far, some 12.6 million people have had a booster dose. The latest advice comes after the UK Health Security Agency released data from a real-world study which found the booster gave over 90 per cent protection against symptomatic Covid-19 for people aged 50 years and older.

Three UK pharmacists are featured in the digital book of celebrations to mark the International Federation of Pharmacists' (FIP) World Pharmacists' Day 2022. Simon Nelson, Nelsons Pharmacy Group, Wales; Raj Rohilla, Midhurst Pharmacy (West Sussex)/Goys Pharmacy (Battersea)/ Hamlins Pharmacy (Shepherds Bush) and Olutayo Arikawe, Swinford Pharmacy, West Midlands were among 27 pharmacists from across the globe and the AmerisourceBergen family, who contributed to a digital book of celebration, which aims to highlight the changing role of pharmacists and how they can create healthier futures. Pharmacists are no longer just 'chemists' - some pharmacists are now able to diagnose, treat and prescribe for patients who traditionally may have needed to see a doctor or GP. Others are guardians of their local community - keeping an eye on vulnerable patients who may not have regular contact with other healthcare professionals. During the Covid-19 pandemic they stepped up to support stretched healthcare systems, with many taking a leading role in the world-wide response. This has evolved further with more and more pharmacists offering vaccination services for Covid-19, as well as flu, chicken pox and 'holiday' vaccinations. This changing role of pharmacists is helping them unite to create healthier futures.

Boots UK's chief pharmacist has been encouraging people to get a flu vaccination by the end of November to help protect themselves, their loved ones and the NHS this festive season. Flu cases in the UK are usually highest in the winter months, from December to March. This year, the UK has seen a rise in cases earlier than usual, and therefore Claire Nevinson, superintendent pharmacist at Boots, reminds people that it is even more important to get protected early to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus due to increased mixing at Christmas parties and family get togethers. Approximately 33 million people are eligible for the free NHS flu jab, including those over 50 years of age, pregnant women and those with medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. The pharmacy multiple says it offers the winter flu jab service, which is suitable for those eligible for the free NHS flu jab as well as privately, adding that it has already administered over one million flu vaccinations this season. Ms Nevinson explains: "December is a time to get together with friends and family to celebrate the month's festivities. It's a good idea to plan ahead to ensure you have your flu jab, and your COVID-19 booster vaccination if you are eligible, if you've not had them already, this the best way to protect yourself and reduce the risk of passing the viruses to others.

Community pharmacists in England have slammed the government's latest decision to reduce the number of people who get a free winter flu jab in the 2022-23 flu season, as concerns related to Covid-19 still exist. This follows a letter from the NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) to clinicians, which stated that the flu vaccination service in 2022-23 will be offered to patient groups eligible in line with pre-pandemic recommendations. The eligibility was widened significantly after the pandemic struck in 2020 to help reduce the death toll from the Covid-19. With the change in place people aged 50-64 and schoolchildren aged 11-15 will not be eligible to receive the free jabs on the NHS next winter, pushing millions of people to pay for their jabs privately. It further recommended that vaccination for frontline healthcare workers and social care workers should be provided by employers as part of the organisation's policy to prevent the transmission of infection.