National Immunisation Campaign

Vaccines are the most effective way to prevent many infectious diseases. They are the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and our children against ill health. They prevent millions of deaths worldwide every year. 

Vaccines do: 

• Help to protect you and your child from many serious and potentially deadly diseases. 
• Protect other people in your family and community, by helping to stop diseases spreading to people who cannot have vaccines, such as babies too young to be vaccinated and those who are too ill to be vaccinated. 
• Undergo rigorous safety testing before being introduced. 
• Sometimes will cause mild side effects, that will not last long. You may feel slightly unwell and/or have a sore arm for 2 or 3 days. 

Vaccines do not:

• Overload or weaken the immune system. 
• Contain any ingredients that cause harm, only ingredients essential to making them safer and more effective.

For more information on why vaccinations are important, click here. 

It is important that vaccines are given on time for the best protection, but if you or your child has missed a vaccine, please contact us to book.

If you are unsure of what vaccinations your child is due, see below the UK Health Security Agency Routine Immunisation Schedule or if you are still unsure, speak to one of our GP's or Nurses who will be happy to assist you in this matter. 

The flu vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. It's offered on the NHS every year in autunm or early winter to people at higher risk of getting seriouslly ill from flu. 

 If you are eligable for an NHS flu vaccine, you can get this from: 

• Your GP surgery
• A pharmacy that offers NHS flu vaccinations 

Some people may be able to get the vaccine through their maternity service or care home. 

You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you:

• are aged 65 or over
• have certain long-term health conditions
• are pregnant 
• live in a care home 
• are the main carer for an older or disabled person
• live with someone who has a weakened immune system

Frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer. 

The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. 

It is recommended for people at higher risk of these illnesses, such as babies and adults aged 65 and over.

The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against some types of bacterial infections that can cause serious illnesses like: 

• Meningitis - an infection in the brain and spinal cord 
• Sepsis - a life threatening reaction to an infection
• Pneumonia - an infection in the lungs 

It can also protect against other illnesses such as sinusitis & ear infections.

We will contact you if you or your child are eligible for this vaccine. However, please contact us if you or your child have missed a vaccine.  

The pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for babies, older people, and people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from pneumococcal infections. 

When the pneumococcal vaccine is given: 

• Babies: 1st dose at 12 weeks and a booster dose at 1 year. 
• People aged 65 and over: 1 dose when you are 65
• Children and adults at higher risk of getting seriously ill: Atleast 1 dose. Some people may need extra doses or a regular dose. 

Most people can have the vaccine if they need it, including if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major respiratory virus that is common over the winter period. RSV can spread through coughs and sneezes, symptoms may include a cough or cold, shortness of breath, tiredness and fever.

You can book your RSV vaccine now, contact our reception team if you are aged between 75-79 or if you are an expectant mother, atleast 28 weeks pregnant. 

RSV can be especially dangerous for infants and the elderly.

It is most common in infants under 1 years old. Babies are particularly vulnerable to RSV lung infections as they have small airways and a limited immunity against the virus, this can lead to bronchiolitis that causes inflammation in the lung. 

Click here to find out more about Bronchiolitis.

Older adults can also be at risk of severe RSV lung infections, causing pneumonia and flare ups of exisiting lung disease and other long-term conditions. The virus is a cause of illness or mortality in people aged 75 years and older. 

While the symptoms are mild for many, RSV accounts for around 30,000 hospitilisations of children under the age of 5 in the UK annually. It also causes around 9,000 hospitilisations in those aged over 75 in the UK each year. 

Click here to find out more about the symptoms of RSV.

Pregnant woman should have the RSV vaccine in every pregnancy - this will give your new baby the best protection. 

In older adults, a single dose is expected to give good protection for a few years. A single dose of vaccine will help to boost protection as you reach an age group at highest risk of serious RSV infection.

How can I protect my baby from RSV?

The best way to protect babies against RSV infections is for the mother to have the vaccine during pregnancy.

Vaccination reduces the risk of severe RSV lung infections by around 70% in the first 6 months of life. 

The vaccine is offered from week 28 of pregnancy, often by maternity services. If you have not been offered the vaccine around the time of your 28 week antenatal appointment, contact your maternity service to make an appointment. 

However, having the vaccine later in the pregnancy will still provide some protection from infection and reduce the risk of spreading infection to the newborn baby. 

The shingles vaccine helps protect against shingles. It is recommended for all adults turning 65, those aged 70 to 79 and those aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system.

Shingles is a common condition that causes a painful rash.

It can sometimes lead to serious problems such as long-lasting pain, hearing loss or blindness. 

You are more likely to get shingles as you get older or if you have a severely weakened immune system. 

The vaccine will help reduce your chances of getting shingles and reduce the chances of you becoming seriously ill if you was to get it. 

Did you know? 

You can get shingles more than once, so it is important to get vaccinated even if you have had shingles before. 

The shingles vaccine is given in two doses, ensure you recieve both doses for full protection against shingles. 

Most of the side effects of the shingles vaccine are mild and get better within 2 or 3 days.

They can include:

• swelling, itchiness, bruising or pain where the injection was given
• a headache
• an aching body
• feeling tired
• a high temperature
• shivering (chills)

More serious side effects such as a severe allergic reaction are very rare. The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.

Find out more about the shingles vaccine on the NHS website. 

Whooping cough (pertussis) is an infection of the lungs and breathing tubes. 

It spreads very easily and can be serious. It is important for babies, children and anyone who's pregnant to get vaccinated against it. 

The first signs of whooping cough are similar to a cold, such as a runny nose and sore throat.

A high temperature is uncommon. 

After about a week, you or your child: 

• Will get coughing bouts that last for a few minutes and are worse at night
• May make a "whoop" sound, a gasp for breath between coughs
• May have difficulty breathing after a coughing bout and may turn blue/grey
• May bring up a thick mucus, which can make you vomit

The cough may last for several weeks or month. 

Please ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

• Your baby is under 6 months old and has the above symptoms
• You have been in contact with someone with whooping cough and you are pregnant

Whooping cough is contagious from about 6 days after the start of the cold symptoms and up to 3 weeks after the coughing starts. 

The whooping cough vaccine protects babies and children from getting whooping cough. 

The whooping cough vaccine is routinely given as part of the:

6 in 1 vaccine - for babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks

4 in  1 pre school booster - for children aged 3 years 4 months. 

If you are pregnant you should also have the vaccine, this would usually be when you are around 20 weeks pregnant. This will help protect your baby for the first few weeks of their life. 

Speak to us now or contact your midwife to book your whooping cough vaccine.