Covid-19 booster and flu jab - autumn 2022

The Government has updated advice around the Covid-19 booster and the flu jab programmes for the autumn. Everyone with epilepsy, aged five and over, will be eligible for the Covid-19 booster, although they will not be automatically eligible for the flu jab.

Those eligible in each category are as follows:

Covid-19 booster

• 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 and over
• Those aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, including pregnant women (this includes people with epilepsy)
• Those aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression 
• Those aged 16 to 49 years who are carers

You can read the full list of those who are eligible in the Green Book on page 14.

Flu jab

People with epilepsy are not automatically eligible for the flu jab, unless they are also in one of the risk groups listed below. However, the list is not exhaustive, and the Joint Commission on Vaccination and Immunisation, emphasise that doctors should apply their clinical judgement in assessing whether flu will exacerbate any underlying health condition, as well as the risk of serious illness from the flu.

Our Medical Director, Professor Ley Sander has written a letter which you can download and take to your GP, supporting your request for a free flu vaccine.

If you are unable to download and print the letter, you can request a printed version by emailing enquiries@epilepsysociety.org.uk or calling 01494 601 300.

Flu jab risk groups

The groups that are now eligible for the flu jab in England this coming season are:

• all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2022
• all primary school aged children (from reception to Year 6)
• those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (this does not include epilepsy)
• pregnant women
• those aged 65 years and over
• those in long-stay residential care homes
• carers
• close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
• frontline staff employed by the following types of social care providers without employer led occupational health schemes:

- a registered residential care or nursing home
- registered domiciliary care provider
- a voluntary managed hospice provider
- Direct Payment (personal budgets) or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants

And later in the season:

• All adults aged 50 to 64 years
• Secondary school children in years 7, 8 and 9, who will be offered the vaccine in order of school year (starting with the youngest first).

You can read the full list of those who are eligible in the Green Book on page 14, table 3.