More than 100,000 autumn COVID-19 vaccination boosters have been administered to people across Norfolk and Waveney.

NHS Norfolk and Waveney’s campaign is off to a great start as thousands have come forward for their Autumn booster jab.

“Our colleagues have been working tirelessly to deliver the autumn booster programme, and we’re delighted to have given more than 100,000 vaccinations since we began vaccinating at the beginning of September,” said Kate Keeling, Head of Immunisation NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB)

“We continue to urge local people to take up the offer of the vaccine as soon as they are called forward. People who are eligible should book without delay when they are invited by the NHS either by booking through the NHS website or calling 119.”

People aged 65+, carers and pregnant women can book an appointment to have their autumn booster at http://nhs.uk/covidvaccine or call 119 (as long as it’s been three months since their last dose).

Please note that autumn boosters are via booked appointments only across our sites in Norfolk and Waveney.

Around 26 million people across England will be eligible for an autumn booster in line with guidance set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

This includes:

• residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
• frontline health and social care workers
• all adults aged 50 years and over
• persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, as set out in the Green Book – this includes pregnant women
• persons aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
• persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers, as set out in the Green Book

Some patients may be invited to have their vaccination at a local GP-led site. A number of pharmacies in the area will also offer the autumn booster to eligible patients.

The programme will extend to other eligible groups through to December 2022. The NHS will contact people from eligible cohorts when it is their turn to book in for the vaccine – people do not need to contact the NHS.

To help the NHS help you, please follow the advice below.

• We would like to remind people who have made booked appointments to attend these on time and to arrive no more than five to ten minutes before your appointment. If people attend earlier than this, it can lead to queuing, delays and traffic congestion at vaccination sites. If you arrive early for your appointment, please wait in your car.
• Wrap up well – As the weather is changing, please consider this before leaving. Please consider of thin layers (with short sleeves as your base layer) are recommended.
• Please don’t turn up requesting a vaccine without an appointment. All vaccines are allocated to people in priority groups with pre-booked appointments and anyone attending without an appointment will be asked to leave

The NHS will contact people when it is their turn to book in for the vaccine – you do not need to contact the NHS. We urge all those invited for both a flu and COVID-19 booster vaccine to take up the offer as quickly as possible – it will give you maximum protection this winter.

To book your COVID-19 booster visit: Book or manage a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination – NHS (www.nhs.uk)