This week Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust (SHSC) began vaccinating their staff against COVID-19 and flu.

The vaccines are being rolled out at pace to ensure that staff and service users at the Trust are protected from the so-called ‘twindemic’, where NHS services are likely to come under pressure this winter from flu and COVID-19. More than 3,000 people will be offered both vaccines before the end of the year.

From now until November vaccines are available from a specially set up vaccination hub in Fulwood and will be boosted by mobile clinics at clinical sites across the city in the coming weeks.

Staff and service users are all being offered the latest bivalent Covid booster which tops up immunity to the virus and specifically protects against the Omicron variant, which is the dominant strain in the UK as we head into winter.

First to get their COVID-19 booster was Lewis Barret, a personal assistant from SHSC’s Quality Directorate. Lewis said: “I booked my jabs as soon as the invitation came through! In my job I work with lots of different teams and people and I want to make sure I’m protected from COVID-19 to keep my colleagues and our service users safe. I also live with two vulnerable people and having my vaccines makes them safer - it's that simple.”

Lead Vaccinator Sharon Ashton said: “It’s a great feeling to start vaccinating everyone at SHSC ahead of winter. My team have worked really hard to prepare for the next few weeks and we’re looking forward to offering every single member of staff a flu jab and COVID-19 booster. We’ve had hundreds of people book on already and we’re working at capacity now which is already great news.”

COVID-19 and flu vaccines are being offered to service users on wards at SHSC at the place they receive their care.