NHS vaccination teams have visited all 1,750 care homes in the North West to offer life-saving COVID-19 boosters and flu jabs ahead of the festive period.

Every care home in the region has been visited by NHS staff ensuring residents have maximum protection from winter viruses and allowing them to spend time with families and friends during Christmas and New Year.

In the North West, around 85.7% of older care home residents have had the seasonal booster, thanks to dedicated vaccine teams who have visited all the care homes in the region, including any homes which had to have visits rearranged due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

The NHS autumn booster campaign kicked off in care homes on 5 September in order to prioritise the most vulnerable before expanding the offer and so far, more than two million people have had the booster in England.

The residents and staff at Lostock Grove Care Home in Leyland were some of the first in the North West to receive the autumn booster, in the latest phase of the biggest and fastest vaccination programme in NHS history.

Kelly Jenkins, Manager at Lostock Grove Care Home, said at the time: “It’s been a tough couple of years and especially hard for our residents who haven’t been able to see their loved ones. The vaccine rollout has meant our residents are protected, we can allow visitors again and things can go back to normal. But it is imperative everyone gets the boosters and keeps the virus at bay.”

Dr Linda Charles-Ozuzu, Senior Responsible Officer for the North West vaccination programme said: “It’s such fantastic news that NHS teams have visited every care home in the North West, in a great effort to make sure that the most vulnerable to COVID-19 are protected, ahead of the festive season.

“It’s also really important that our health and social care workers and unpaid carers come forward for the vital vaccines, as these groups are particularly at risk from catching flu and COVID-19 and passing them on to the people that they care for.

“COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities, along with the flu and other winter viruses, so if you’re yet to have any of the COVID-19 vaccines or get your flu jab, come forward as soon as possible, to stay well this Christmas and new year.”

Anyone who was unable to get their vaccine for any reason is still able to get the booster either through a team returning to a home or via their GP or the National Booking Service.

The NHS is also urging those eligible, to get their flu vaccine as the latest stats show hospital admissions are up week-on-week and higher than covid in the most recent week for the first time since the pandemic began. Join the more than 1.6 million people in the North West who have received their flu jab.