ELIGIBLE people in England can book their autumn Covid vaccine online as the NHS steps up its winter vaccination programmes early in response to the risk of the new Covid variant.

Anyone eligible can book their Covid vaccinations via the NHS website, by downloading the NHS App, or by calling 119 for free if they can’t get online.

Who is eligible?

Hundreds of thousands of adults who are eligible for winter vaccines – including all aged 65 and over, pregnant women and those with an underlying health condition – will also begin receiving invitations from the NHS to encourage them to get their Covid and flu jabs from this week.

GP practices and other local NHS services will also be contacting people to offer both flu and Covid vaccines, and people can book the flu vaccine by searching online for a local pharmacy.

More than 30 million people are eligible to receive a flu vaccine and more than 20 million are able to get a Covid jab.

COVID vaccination for those aged under 18 years will begin later in the year – the NHS will let eligible families know when this offer opens.

Vaccine programme brought forward

This year’s adult Covid and flu vaccination programme has been brought forward on the advice of scientists following the emergence of a new covid-19 variant (BA.2.86), which has a high number of mutations.

Health chiefs have ensured there is enough capacity to offer the flu and covid vaccines to all those eligible by the end of October, reflecting the risk of the new variant.

NHS Director for Vaccinations and Screening Steve Russell said: “Vaccines are our best protection against flu and Covid-19, and I strongly encourage all eligible people to come forward for their lifesaving winter vaccines as soon as they can.

“The new Covid variant presents a new risk, but NHS staff are rising to the challenge once more to do all they can to protect the public.

“Those eligible can now easily book a Covid vaccine online – it takes just a few minutes and there are more sites than ever before offering the vaccine across England, so please come forward as soon as you can to give yourself and your loved ones vital protection over the coming months.”

The NHS winter flu and Covid vaccination programme provides vital protection to those eligible and their families over winter, keeping people from developing serious illnesses, and helping to minimise hospitalisations during busy winter months.

People eligible during this year’s vaccination campaign include all aged 65 and over, care home residents, frontline health and social care staff, those at increased risk because they are pregnant or have a certain underlying health condition, unpaid carers and household contacts of those at risk.

The NHS stresses it is important for those who are eligible to top up their protection, even if they have had a vaccine or been ill with flu or COVID-19 before, as immunity fades over time and these viruses change each year.

Slow rise in Covid cases

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at UKHSA, said: “We are already seeing a slow rise in cases of COVID-19, as well as increases in hospitalisations, particularly among the over 75s.

“Older people and those in clinical risk groups remain at higher risk of severe illness, so it’s important all those eligible come forward when offered and get protected against flu and COVID.”

Flu vaccination of children aged two to 17 has begun and the first invitations to parents of children aged two and three are also being sent out.

Parents are being urged to fill out the consent forms for the nasal spray vaccine as soon as they can, which is administered at school and in GP surgeries.