GPS ramping up flu jabs scheme in anticipation of second Covid wave

LOCAL doctors are preparing to vaccinate up to 150,000 more people than normal in the annual flu jab programme.

Patients are likely to be invited to attend drive-through vaccination centres or other facilities away from GP surgeries in a bid to keep them safe from Covid-19.

The Department of Health said the flu jab programme was to be extended to help prepare the already fragile health service ahead of a potential second wave of coronavirus.

Experts have warned the combined effects of Covid-19 and flu could lead to serious and even deadly consequences for patients.

Efforts are under way to implement measures that will help reduce the number of people who require NHS treatments during the winter months.

Additional vaccines have already been secured to allow for the programme to be extended to the household contacts of those who were shielding, staff in independent care homes and children in year eight at secondary school.

Subject to availability, the vaccine will also be offered to anyone aged between 50 and 64 from December.

A spokesman from the Department of Health said last night: “We have estimated that there will be around 25,000 year eight pupils, 90,000 household contacts of those shielding and 35,000 independent care and nursing home staff. That gives approximately 150,000 people.”

The chair of the British Medication Association’s GP committee in Northern Ireland said family doctors had been working hard to ensure that the programme would be delivered as safely as possible.

“There are going to be an increased number of patients. It’s even more important to have the vaccination this year than it has been before, (but) infection control and social distancing guidelines are a challenge,” explained Dr Alan Stout.

“By the very definition, the majority of people eligible for the vaccine are in the vulnerable group of patients, so it’s important that this is done as safely as possible. Individual practices will make their own decisions on how best to deliver the programme, which could be a drivethrough, for example, where the patient receives the injection through the car window.

“One particular challenge we will face, however, is identifying all the household contacts of people who received a shielding letter.

“They may not always be part of the same GP practice, so they may be overlooked.”

Dr Stout said anyone who lives with someone who has been shielding should contact their GP if they believe they have not received an invitation to a flu jab session.

He also stressed that it was essential that as many people as possible sign up to be given a vaccination.