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.
Pharmacy chain Superdrug has introduced what it asserts to be the most affordable private flu vaccinations offered on the UK high street. The vaccinations
will be priced at £8.79 for 17.2 million members of its Ghada , and £16.99 for non-members. The 2023-24 vaccination service is set to become available across 150 of
its stores starting from early September.
Superdrug has taken this step in response to a change in NHS England's inclusion criteria, which has rendered the 12 million individuals aged 50-65 ineligible for
the NHS flu vaccination service, the company said. The company is anticipating heightened demand for private flu vaccinations due to the postponed commencement of
the NHS service and alterations in eligibility for free flu jabs.
"Our waiting list for private flu vaccination services has already exceeded last year's figures, indicating a heightened demand this year," said Ghada Beal,
Superdrug's Healthcare Director. "Providing this service at a more accessible price-point is significant, given the eligibility changes that will impact millions.
Our private flu vaccination services provide a convenient means for individuals to safeguard themselves against flu and its potential complications."
In May, the government's annual flu vaccination programme letter indicated that individuals aged 50 to 64 won't receive free flu vaccinations in the 2023/24
season. Moreover, the NHS plans to delay flu vaccine distribution to October, with the goal of enhancing protection for those aged 65 and older and other eligible
groups during the winter months.
In its response to NHS England's consultation on 'the future of vaccination services', the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has suggested
that a wider range of NHS vaccinations being available from community pharmacies could support the achievement of increased vaccination levels.
PSNC said: "Any additional services that contractors could provide can only be considered with additional remuneration above the current global sum in the community
pharmacy contractual framework to ensure that the services are adequately resourced."
Alastair Buxton, director of NHS Services at PSNC, said: "We've always known, and the evidence supports this, that community pharmacies are one of the most popular
and accessible places for people to receive a range of vaccinations.
"The NHS was slow to take advantage of this at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, so we welcome this consultation from them to bring together a wide range of views
on the topic.
"In the longer-term, if the right funding and support is in place, many pharmacies could help deliver a much wider range of NHS vaccination programmes - giving the
public the convenience and service that they want, and taking pressure off our general practice colleagues. It makes perfect sense, and we look forward to the NHS
response to this consultation."
As part of efforts to streamline spending and enhance resource allocation within the healthcare system, the NHS has chosen to cease providing the free
vaccinations for all, which were initially introduced in 2020. Approximately 12 million British citizens will not have access to free flu vaccinations and
Covid-19 boosters during the upcoming winter, according to NHS.
Furthermore, the NHS plans to defer flu vaccine distribution to October, aiming to heighten protection for those aged 65 and older and other eligible groups in
the high-risk winter months. However, this has stirred panic among pharmacies, given their advanced planning based on the initial start date of September 1 for
vaccinations.
On Tuesday (Aug. 8), the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) released NHS guidelines indicating that Covid-19 booster shots, starting from autumn,
will not be provided to individuals aged 50 to 64 who are in otherwise good health. Similar guidance had already been released for flu, rendering 12 million
middle-aged Britons ineligible for free jabs, JCVI said.
Prior to the pandemic, influenza vaccinations were available to healthy adults aged over 65, alongside children and younger adults with medical conditions. Amidst
the pandemic, the distribution of flu vaccinations was expanded to include individuals aged 50 to 64, in alignment with the criteria for Covid-19 boosters.
Community pharmacy teams have administered almost 4.8 million flu vaccinations under the NHS Flu Vaccination Service in 2021-22, which is 73 per cent more
more than the 2.8 million vaccines administered last season.
Data received so far from PharmOutcomes and Sonar Informatics has confirmed that pharmacy teams have administered 4,793,124 vaccinations, although the total number
will be even higher as some data are still awaited and some pharmacy teams have not used the electronic systems to record administration of vaccines.
The Flu Vaccination Service 2021-22 ended on March 31, 2022 and the total number of vaccinations administered (which will include the figures from pharmacy teams
who did not use electronic systems to record administration of vaccines) is expected to be published later in the year by the NHS Business Services Authority.
The NHS England has developed and published a new vaccination strategy with an aim to increase national uptake of lifesaving vaccinations, and protect people
against a range of diseases.
Getting vaccinations will become easier than ever before, as the NHS App is being expanded with more additional features.
Improved booking features such as new in-App bookings, invitation alerts and appointment notifications will make "booking a jab as easy as booking a cab," NHS
leaders said.
The NHS App overhaul will also include improved access to medical records, meaning users will be able to see their routine vaccination status over the coming
months and years, making it easier for them to identify any missed vaccinations in their history.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has notified that it is now mandatory to attend face-to-face training for both injection technique
and basic life support training periodically for pharmacists and other vaccinators providing the annual flu vaccination service.
"Community pharmacy contractors are required to demonstrate that all vaccinators, including pharmacists, providing the flu vaccination service in their pharmacy
have the skills needed to do so," said PSNC.
Prior to this change, pharmacists and other vaccinators needed to undertake a refresher face-to-face training for both injection technique and basic life support,
including administration of adrenaline, every three years.
Vaccinator needs to evidence competence
PSNC said: "Contractors and vaccinators will now need to consider when it would be appropriate to attend refresher training or if ongoing competence of an individual
vaccinator can be evidenced, without the need for face-to-face training.
"An individual's continued competence may be influenced by their prior experience vaccinating patients, including the overall number of vaccines administered and
the regularity with which they administer vaccines."
The NHS on Sunday (January 30) expanded its Covid-19 vaccination programme to include vulnerable children aged five to 11 years.
Eligible children include those with diabetes, immunosuppression, learning disabilities, and other conditions as outlined by the UK Health Security Agency in the Green Book.
Besides, children living with someone immunosuppressed will be eligible to get the first dose of the Covid vaccine in line with advice issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
According to the NHS there are around 500,000 eligible children in the latest cohort.
GP and deputy lead for NHS vaccination programme Dr Nikki Kanani, said: "We know vaccines give significant protection against severe illness from Covid - including the omicron variant, so it is important that our youngest and most at-risk get protected.
Pharmacy owners can proceed with vaccinating patients who have already scheduled their flu vaccination appointments for September, NHS England has said.
However, as announced earlier, the official rollout of the vaccination service will commence from October.
Pharmacies will receive compensation for conducting appointments in the upcoming month, NHSE stated in a letter addressed to systems, community pharmacies, and
general practices.
"Payment for vaccinations will ordinarily only be made following the service commencement date. However, we understand that some firm commitments and appointments
have already been made, so where this is the case and the patient wishes to receive flu vaccination in September, NHS England will permit payment claims to be
submitted," NHSE said.
Care home residents and staff will be eligible for the vaccine starting Oct. 2, while all other patients will commence receiving their vaccinations on Oct 7.
This news is a significant relief for pharmacy owners, as they won't have to reschedule appointments due to NHSE's one-month service delay.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has reminded Community pharmacy contractors to ensure that the correct flu vaccines are being used for
each patient cohort.
The pharmacies have also been asked to ensure that they recorded accurately in the patient's clinical record for the NHS Flu Vaccination Service.
The move was followed by PSNC after the cases where the standard egg-cultured quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVe) was administered in the 65 years and over patient
cohort.
PSNC said: "On investigation, it appears that a number of these errors are due to data input errors; however, it is important to be careful when selecting a flu
vaccine for this patient cohort as there is no provision for the use of the QIVe vaccine in patients aged 65 years and over in the NHS Flu Vaccination Service."
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised it is not an effective intervention for patients aged 65 years and over.
Backed by a £22.5 million of government funding, community vaccine champions will tap into their local networks and encourage people in their communities to get vaccinated against the Covid-19.
The funding, allocated today (January 13) to 60 councils, will help deliver bespoke projects in these regions, including:
In Derby and Newham roving vaccinators and a vaccine bus will visit workplaces, places of worship and local highstreets.Videos shared on social media featuring local sporting stars, TV actors, local community and faith leaders and local NHS staff in Southampton.Developing a community transport to support access to vaccination sites/pop-ups and considering 'Grab a Jab' taxis scheme.As per NHS statistics, over 4.6 million people aged 18 and above remained unvaccinated in the 60 councils, selected to be a part of the Community Vaccine Champions programme.
Vaccines minister Maggie Throup said: "Thanks to the pace and scale of our Covid-19 vaccination programme, we are in a much better position than this time last year."
Pharmacies have administered more than five million flu vaccinations under the national flu vaccination service in 2022/23, revealed the advanced service flu
report published by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).
According to the report, 5,007,578 million vaccinations has been administered by community pharmacies in 2022/23. Whilst in 2021/22 the total number of vaccines
administered in community pharmacies was 4.85 million.
The service has continued to achieve year-on-year growth in the number of vaccinations administered since it launched in 2015.
Commenting on the end-of-season figures, Alastair Buxton, Director of NHS Services, Community Pharmacy England said: "This season's flu vaccination figures are yet
another example of the incredible contribution that our members and their teams make to protect the public and the NHS as part of a key public health programme.
"Given the significant financial and workforce pressures that our members continue to face, this year on year growth is a fantastic achievement and a testament to
their hard work and dedication.
For the first time, Covid-19 vaccines will be available for purchase from pharmacies in Britain from April 1.
As revealed by The Times, Boots is set to launch a private vaccination service next week to ensure that people "remain ready to respond to this constantly
evolving and unpredictable virus."
Under the NHS national immunization programme (NIP), Covid booster vaccines are only offered to those at high risk, including over-65s or patients with weakened
immune systems.
From April 1, anyone aged 12 or over can get the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at 50 Boots stores for £98.95.
While it's highly unlikely for healthier young adults to experience severe Covid-19, getting the single-dose vaccine can protect them from discomforting symptoms
like coughs and sore throats.
A spokesperson for Boots told the publication that their private service is the extension of their existing delivery of Covid-19 vaccinations for the NHS.
Covid-19 vaccine makers are shifting gears and planning for a smaller, more competitive booster shot market after delivering as many doses as fast as they
could over the last 18 months.
Executives at the biggest Covid vaccine makers including Pfizer and Moderna said they believe most people who wanted to get vaccinated against Covid have already done so - more than five billion people worldwide.
In the coming year, most Covid vaccinations will be booster shots, or first inoculations for children, which are still gaining regulatory approvals around the world, they said.
Pfizer, which makes its shot with Germany's BioNTech and Moderna still see a major role for themselves in the vaccine market even as overall demand declines.
Upstart US vaccine maker Novavax and Germany's CureVac, which is working with GlaxoSmithKline, are developing vaccines they hope to target at the booster market.
The roles of AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, whose shots have been less popular or effective, are expected to decline in this market.
The NHS on Sunday (January 30) expanded its Covid-19 vaccination programme to include vulnerable children aged five to 11 years.
Eligible children include those with diabetes, immunosuppression, learning disabilities, and other conditions as outlined by the UK Health Security Agency in the Green Book.
Additionally, children living with someone immunosuppressed will be eligible to get the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in line with advice issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
According to the NHS, there are around 500,000 eligible children in the latest cohort.
GP and deputy lead for NHS vaccination programme Dr Nikki Kanani, said: "We know vaccines give significant protection against severe illness from Covid - including the omicron variant, so it is important that our youngest and most at-risk get protected.
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 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a second "bivalent" vaccine as a Covid-19 booster.
The updated booster vaccine made by Pfizer/BioNTech, targeting two coronavirus variants, has been approved for use in individuals aged 12 years and above.
In each dose of the booster vaccine, 'Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron', half of the vaccine (15 micrograms) targets the original virus strain and the other
half (15 micrograms) targets Omicron (BA.1).
Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive said: "I am pleased to announce that we now have a second approved vaccine for the UK Autumn booster programme. The clinical
trial of the Pfizer/BioNTech bivalent vaccine showed a strong immune response against the Omicron BA.1 variant as well as the original strain.
Bivalent vaccines are helping us to meet the challenge of an ever-evolving virus, to help protect people against Covid-19 variants. We have in place a comprehensive
safety surveillance strategy for all UK-approved Covid-19 vaccines, and this will include the updated booster we approved today."
Thousands of cancer patients in England are set to gain fast-tracked access to personalised cancer vaccine trials through a new National Health Service(NHS)
initiative, the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad.
This groundbreaking service aims to find new life-saving treatments by matching eligible patients with clinical trials across the country.
The first patient to receive a personalised vaccine for bowel cancer is Elliot Phebve, a 55-year-old lecturer, treated at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS
Foundation Trust.
Phebve, diagnosed through a routine health check, underwent surgery and chemotherapy before joining the trial.
Sponsored by German biotech company BioNTech SE, the colorectal cancer vaccine trial is one of several taking place across NHS trusts.
The government has accepted the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's (JCVI) advice for the autumn 2024 COVID-19 vaccination programme.
According to the JCVI, the following groups will be eligible for vaccination this autumn:
Individuals aged 65 and over
Residents of care homes for older adults
Those aged 6 months and older in clinical risk groups
Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne, emphasised the importance of protecting vulnerable populations from COVID-19 and reducing pressure on
the NHS.
He said: "We are committed to protecting those most vulnerable from COVID and have accepted the independent advice from the JCVI for the autumn 2024 vaccination
programme."
"I encourage anyone invited for a vaccine to get one as soon as possible to protect yourself and reduce pressure on the NHS during winter, helping to cut waiting
times and get the health service back on its feet."
As the deadline for the frontline healthcare workers to get fully vaccinated approaches, tens of thousands of NHS staff who have not yet taken the Covid-19
vaccine face termination in just a fortnight.
Although it is estimated that the majority of NHS staff have been fully jabbed, health and social care providers in England will soon be needed to ensure that all those working in areas regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before the April 1, 2022.
Those who are exempted from taking the vaccination do not fall under this purview.
According to the NHS England guidance around Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment (VCOD) for healthcare workers, all frontline staff must have had both the doses by April 1, meaning that by February 3 the first must have been administered and the second by March 31.
All unvaccinated frontline workers will be called into formal meetings from February 4 and given a warning of dismissal. Notices will then be issued from that day, with March 31 marking the end of the notice period