Autumn COVID-19 & flu vaccinations
The Government has announced which groups of people will be eligible for a COVID-19 autumn booster. Those eligible for a further dose will be:
The Government has confirmed which groups will be entitled to an autumn COVID-19 booster. They are:
- Residents in care homes for older adults;
- All adults aged 65 years and over;
- People aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group;
- Frontline health and social care workers;
- People aged 12 to 64 who are household contacts of people with weakened immune systems;
- People aged 16 to 64 who are carers and staff working in care homes for older adults;
- Pregnant women.
If you are eligible for a COVID-19 booster you will be contacted by the NHS. When contacted, you will be able to book your jab through the NHS website, the NHS app, or by calling 119. The COVID-19 vaccination programme for 2023 starts on September 18.
For more information on the COVID-19 vaccination, please visit the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination/about-covid-19-vaccination/
Mandatory vaccinations and employment advice
Employment law advice and guidance on mandatory vaccinations has been published by Fish Insurance and ILG Support.
Please click here for FISH insurance advice.
Please click here for ILG support advice.
COVID testing
Asymptomatic testing is no longer generally required for frontline workers except as part of a rapid response testing for care homes and high-risk extra care and supported living services or as part of outbreak testing in care homes.
Ordering COVID test kits
Personal assistants who are symptomatic (or their employers on their behalf) should order tests via the online government portal.
Employers of personal assistants ordering tests on their behalf should go through the ordering journey selecting options as if they are a personal assistant. Whilst tests can be ordered on behalf of others, tests should only be used for staff and not those who are receiving care and/or support. You will not need a UON (Unique Organisation Number).
Individuals who are already part of a regular testing regime at work should not access tests through this route.
Individuals should keep enough test kits in case they need to test because they become symptomatic and they should only order more tests when needed to replenish stocks. When replenishing stocks for this purpose, they should select that they are symptomatic when going through the ordering portal.
An individual can choose which address their test kits are delivered to. Once they have placed an order, they will receive a confirmatory email.
For any issues with ordering test kits, please call the national COVID-19 contact centre on 119.
Full guidance on COVID testing in adult social care is available here.