Tesco reminds eligible customers of their free winter flu jab service to protect themselves and their families this winter
With autumn now upon us and winter approaching, Tesco is urging customers to book their flu jab at one of its over 350 pharmacies. With 50,000 appointment slots per week available, Tesco Pharmacies are offering the free NHS flu jab service to over 65s and other groups who are eligible which can be booked now. For those not eligible for a free NHS flu jab, there is a £16 private flu jab service for customers aged 12 years and over.
To help more people access the vaccinations, Tesco has an online booking system which allows customers to book a slot at a time that suits them. You can find the link here: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/zone/flujab
With longer opening hours than many GP surgeries and high-street pharmacies, customers can get vaccinated at a time that fits around their schedule including evenings and weekends, or even combine it with their weekly shop.
By offering the greatest possible number of slots, Tesco’s pharmacists hope to encourage more of those who would benefit from a free vaccination service to get the flu jab, to protect themselves and their families this winter.
The flu jab service is provided by a Tesco pharmacist in a private consultation room.
Jonathan Bridgett, Tesco Pharmacy Services manager, said: “For those wanting to use the flu jab service, accessing the vaccinations should be as convenient as popping to a Tesco store for a weekly shop. Offering the free NHS service to those eligible, including all over 65s, as well as the private flu jab, means we can serve as many people as possible. This can help reduce the risk of catching flu and passing it on to older or more vulnerable family members.”
For people with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, flu can be deadly. Getting vaccinated against the flu every year is the best way to protect yourself and others as protection gradually decreases over time and flu strains can change.
The flu jab was associated with a 24% reduction in mortality during flu season for people living with type 2 diabetes, according to research carried out over a seven-year period.
For people with cardiovascular disease, having the flu vaccine may reduce the risk of a major adverse cardiovascular event, like a heart attack or stroke, by 13%. Data shows that in the winter of 2019/20, there were over 6,300 excess deaths from cardiovascular disease in the UK, with flu likely to be a contributing factor.
In addition to the flu jab service, selected Tesco Pharmacies are trialling offering free nasal flu spray for two and three-year-olds. Appointment bookings are now available.
NHS Covid vaccinations, which are another important way to protect your winter respiratory health, are also available in these selected locations. All Tesco Pharmacies offer a private Covid vaccination service which costs £90.
All Tesco Pharmacies in England can now also provide a selection of Pharmacy First NHS services, offering people access to advice and treatment (including prescription medicines such as antibiotics and antivirals), for seven common treatable conditions without needing to see their GP, Pharmacy First is available to help people access services whenever a Tesco Pharmacy is open, including in the evening or on days when a GP may be closed.
Trained pharmacists can provide advice and treatments to help conditions including sore throat, earache, shingles, bites & stings, impetigo, sinusitis and UTIs as part of Pharmacy First.
As part of Tesco’s ‘Let’s Talk’ service, more than 1,500 Tesco Pharmacy colleagues in stores have completed the program which enhances their ability to discuss health issues with customers, after being trained by Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK. In addition to providing regular pharmacy services, those colleagues are now able to provide specialist information and support for customers to help lower the risk of cancer, heart and circulatory diseases, and type 2 diabetes.