TO help borough residents get vaccinated and prepared for winter, the NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board is bringing a community vaccination bus to Grays High Street next week.

It will be at the junction of High Street and Clarence Road on Thursday, 17 October from 9am to 5pm.

The care board, the over-arching organisation responsible for health cprovision in the region, says getting vaccinated against winter illnesses is one of the most important things that residents can do to protect their health.

Last winter, almost 60% of eligible people in Mid and South Essex received their flu vaccination - that's more than 337,000 residents).

This year, the community vaccination bus is going on a roadshow to make sure even more people are supported to get the flu vaccination to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The bus will offer advice about winter vaccinations, including the flu, COVID-19, and new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines.

Healthcare professionals will be onboard to vaccinate those eligible or signpost people to their local GP surgery. Adults over 40 years old can also get free blood pressure checks and gain practical health advice. 

Borough woman Chelle, 55, is backing the campaign. She says: "When I was younger, I never used to bother with the flu vaccination, and I very rarely caught a cold, let alone the flu.

"Having flu twice in one winter convinced me to accept every winter vaccination on offer, including COVID-19, and to date this has paid off."

As temperatures start to dip, a rise in illnesses such as flu, COVID-19, respiratory infections, and other conditions impact people's health and wellbeing. These illnesses place additional strain on the local NHS.

Mary Oaiya

 "This year, we're reaching out into the heart of our communities with our vaccination bus to help people make an informed choice and get vaccinated. Protecting yourself and your family and friends from serious illnesses such as influenza is very important."

To find out more about getting vaccinated this winter, visit NHS Mid and South Essex's Winter Health Hub, which has a dedicated Vaccinations section with information on where local people can get the flu, COVID-19, and new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations.

Residents can also sign up to receive free emails from local healthcare specialists this winter.

The emails will provide advice on vaccinations, self-care practices, mental health, falls prevention, respiratory conditions, and how to get the right care from local services.