Flu season has a habit of turning up uninvited, so we are getting ahead of it!
Our 2026/27 autumn vaccination programme is almost here, with four Saturday clinics planned during October. Our aim is simple: to help as many eligible patients as possible get protected before winter.
Our clinic dates
| Date | Location | Vaccinations available |
| Saturday 3rd October | School Lane Surgery | Flu only |
| Saturday 10th October | Thetford Healthy Living Centre | Covid, with flu available at the same appointment for patients eligible for both |
| Saturday 17th October | School Lane Surgery | Flu only |
| Saturday 24th October | Thetford Healthy Living Centre | Covid, with flu available at the same appointment for patients eligible for both |
Please remember that covid vaccinations will NOT be available at School Lane Surgery.
If you are eligible for both vaccinations, you can safely have your flu and covid vaccines together at the Healthy Living Centre. One appointment, two vaccines and one more thing ticked off your winter to-do list!
Please wait for your invitation
We will contact eligible patients, usually by text message, with information and a link to book an appointment.
If you do not have a mobile phone or are unable to book online, please do not worry. We will contact you and help arrange your appointment.
There is no need to contact the surgery at this stage. Keep an eye on your phone and we will be in touch.
Who is eligible for a flu vaccination?
The flu vaccination programme begins in September for pregnant women and eligible children, and from 1st October for most eligible adults.
You may be offered a free NHS flu vaccination if you are:
- Aged 65 or over, including those who will turn 65 by 31st March 2027
- Aged 18 to 64 and have certain long-term health conditions or are in a clinical risk group
- Pregnant
- Aged 2 or 3 years on 31st August 2026
- Aged from 6 months to under 18 years and in a clinical risk group
- Living in a long-stay residential care home
- Receiving Carer’s Allowance or are the main carer for an older or disabled person
- A close contact of someone who is immunocompromised
- An eligible frontline health or social care worker without access to an employer-led vaccination scheme
- Experiencing homelessness or living in a hostel or night shelter
School-aged children from Reception to Year 11 will usually be offered their flu vaccination through the school vaccination programme rather than at the surgery.
Who is eligible for a covid vaccination?
Covid eligibility is more limited this year. The autumn vaccination is being offered to:
- Adults aged 75 and over
- Residents of care homes for older adults
- People aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined by national guidance
Being eligible for a flu vaccination does not automatically mean that you are eligible for a covid vaccination.
What about housebound patients and care home residents?
Separate arrangements are being made for eligible housebound patients and people living in care homes. These patients, or their carers, will be contacted directly when the arrangements are confirmed.
Why have the flu vaccine every year?
The strains of flu circulating in the community can change from year to year, so the vaccine is updated each season.
No vaccine can guarantee that you will not catch flu, but vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself. It can also reduce your risk of becoming seriously unwell and helps protect vulnerable people around you.
It takes around 14 days for your body to build its full response following vaccination, so getting protected during October gives your immune system time to prepare for winter.
Got a F(lu)AQ?
Can the flu vaccine give you flu? What if you have an egg allergy? Does the children’s nasal vaccine contain gelatine? Why do most adults need to wait until October?
We have answered these questions and plenty more in our full article here: https://schoollanesurgery.co.uk/news/flu-aqs-helping-you-stay-healthy-this-flu-covid-season/