Flu Clinic (Seasonal)

This year, due to COVID-19, our Flu clinics will run very different from previous years.

Clinics for adults in eligible ‘at risk’ categories and those over the age of 65 will be held in the large gym hall at the Highlife Highland Centre in Aviemore on Wednesday the 14th and Wednesday the 21st of October. If you are eligible, you will receive a letter from us inviting you to attend one of these clinics within a very specified 30-minute time slot. Please make every attempt to come to the vaccination clinics at your specified time. There will be a catch-up clinic at a later date in November but the date is not yet set. If you haven’t been able to make your original date you will be invited for the catch-up clinic in due course.

People who are housebound will not receive an invite to the clinics. They will be contacted directly by NHS Highland to get their flu vaccine administered at home by a member of the central vaccination team.

This year, the Scottish Government has announced that everyone aged 55-65 is also eligible for the flu vaccine, even if you are not in an ‘at risk’ category. This age group will not get the vaccine until December 2020/ January 2021. If vaccine availability allows, then after that also people aged 50-55 will be eligible for the vaccine as per the Scottish Government. Unfortunately due to capacity issues at the practice, we are unable to provide clinics for these groups ourselves. NHS Highland will organise administration of the flu vaccine to these groups and eligible patients will be contacted directly by them in due course. 

There is likely to be a separate afternoon clinic for children receiving the nasal spray. NHS Highland have asked us to wait with these until after the October school holidays due to vaccine availability. No clinic date has been set as yet but this is likely to be at the end of October/ early November. Invite letters will be sent out in due course.

Please do not call the practice to make an appointment with one of our Healthcare Assistants or Nurses for the flu vaccine as these will only be administered during the clinics. This is to ensure we continue to have capacity for our routine and urgent appointments.

To comply with Social Distancing Guidance please read the instructions below before attending any of our clinics:

1. 1. You must bring your invite letter with you to the Clinic – failure to do so may result in you not being able to have the vaccination
   2. You must complete and sign the questionnaire on the back of your invite letter on the morning of your clinic date – failure to do so may result in you not being able to have the vaccination
   3. Come as near to the time of your appointment as possible – you will NOT be seen out with your allocated appointment time
   4. Come into the Clinic on your own if possible
   5. Wear a face covering
   6. Please wear a short sleeved top so the clinician can access your arm easily, there are no private cubicles in the hall
   7. There will NOT be the usual waiting area facilities
   8. There will be NO toilet facilities available
   9. Please be aware everyone’s temperature will be checked before entering the clinic

**IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19, PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE CLINIC**

If you are eligible but wish to decline a flu vaccine this year, please inform us by filling in the form below.

Fever Following Flu vaccination

If you develop a fever post vaccination, this should usually resolve within 48 hours. This is a relatively common, expected reaction, and self-isolation and testing for COVID-19 are not required unless COVID is suspected based on other symptoms such as cough or loss of taste/ smell. If fever persists beyond 48 hours or someone develops other COVID-19 related symptoms, then they should self-isolate and be recommended to have a test for COVID-19. 

Feeling generally unwell, shivery, achy and tired are also commonly reported symptoms following flu vaccination. These symptoms usually disappear within one to two days without treatment but paracetamol can be taken if necessary to relieve any of these symptoms.

As has always been recommended, any fever after vaccination should be monitored and if individuals, parents or carers are concerned about their, or their child’s health at any time, they should seek advice from their GP or NHS 111.