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Boots has said it is no longer accepting reservations for the flu vaccine “due to unprecedented demand.”
Officials have warned that both influenza and COVID-19 it could be circulating at the same time and has been urging people who are eligible to get vaccinated.
People who are prioritized for the NHS jab include those over 65, those with underlying health problems such as lung disease or diabetes, and pregnant women.
Boots said it halted bookings due to ‘unprecedented demand’ and ‘stock availability’
The Department of Health and Welfare also recommends that children ages 2 to 11 and anyone who is the primary caregiver for an elderly or disabled person, or who lives in a home with someone who protects them, receive it.
This year in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the flu vaccine will also be offered for the first time to those over 50 and those over 55 in Scotland.
It is also available as a payment service in pharmacies such as Boots.
However, as coronavirus cases are increasing, keeping up with demand seems to have become a problem.
A statement on the Boots website read: “Due to the unprecedented demand for influenza vaccines this year and the availability of stocks, we have had to suspend stocks.”
This message has been posted on the Boots website.
NHS England has said that stocks of the live vaccine are available as experts warn that people “should not be complacent” with the flu.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Kay Burley that there are “more than enough” supplies of the vaccine and that we have “record” quantities.
Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds told Sky News that she had heard from voters in Oxford that they were having trouble accessing the jab.
He said it was critical that logistics be sorted out to prevent this from becoming a bigger problem.
He said there are 30 million doses and the fact that there is a lot of demand is “very good.”
People infected with both the flu and COVID-19 are at increased risk of death, Public Health England (PHE) said.
The flu vaccination program has been expanded this year, making more people than ever eligible for a vaccine – up to 30 million people in England.
The campaign was launched when a new study showed that during the first peak of the pandemic, people infected with the new coronavirus and the flu were six times more likely to die compared to the general population.
The risk of death was also higher compared to being infected with COVID-19 alone.
Like the coronavirus, the flu is spread through coughs and sneezes, so it is important that sufferers stay home and stay away from others.
If you think you have the flu or coronavirus, you should isolate yourself and anyone with an underlying health condition or who is over 65 should call NHS 111.
