RAHUL SHARMA DEBT CONNECT IN MANCHESTER, UK,
The NHS flu vaccination is set to be available to more people.
The government is aiming to double its winter flu vaccination programme in England to 30 million people this year.
It comes as experts are concerned about the impact of a double whammy of coronavirus cases and seasonal flu potentially overwhelming the NHS.
There are also worries that people could suffer both seasonal flu and Covid-19 at the same time.
Currently, the free jab against seasonal flu is for people aged 65 and over, pregnant women, people with certain conditions such as kidney disease, asthma or heart disease and carers or those in care homes.
Frontline health and social care workers are also eligible to receive the flu vaccine as well as children over six months with a long-term health condition, those aged two and three and those in primary school.
The government has now announced that this will be extended to those aged 50 and over and children who are aged 11 by the end of August this year (the first year of secondary school).
They will be vaccinated later in the year with the aim that all those eligible will have had their vaccine by Christmas.
Anyone living in a household with somebody on the NHS shielded patient list for Covid-19 will also be eligible for a free jab.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said: "It's mission critical that we pull out all the stops to get ready for winter, and the Prime Minister has already announced £3 billion to protect the NHS.
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