How you can get a flu jab as hospital admissions soar

Wes Streeting has apologised to patients experiencing inconvenience but said the British Medical Association union is holding walkouts having received a 28.9 per cent pay rise.

Hospitals have been told to aim to deliver 95 per cent of usual activity during the strike, which began on Wednesday morning.

The strike comes as half of all NHS hospitals battle the “worst flu outbreak” ever recorded in the UK, with 2,660 taken into an infirmary each day.

Here is how you can get a flu vaccination this winter.

Getting the flu vaccine free with the NHS

Anyone who is 65 or over is offered the flu vaccine every autumn or winter.

Those under 65 can get the flu vaccine for free if you:

• Have a serious long-term health condition,
• Are having treatment or medication, which means they're at increased risk
• Are pregnant,
• Are in long-term residential care,
• Receive a carer's allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person who may be at risk if they get sick,
• Live with or are in close contact with someone more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant, is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis),
• Are a frontline health or social care worker (if the workplace doesn't offer an occupational health scheme)

Frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer.

How to pay for the flu vaccine if you are not eligible

Pharmacies can offer a private service, with Boots among those charging a fee for a screening appointment - which lasts around ten minutes. It usually costs around £20 to have the vaccine.

These can be booked for around one month in advance. You can enquire online with your local chemist or make an appointment in a shop.

In addition, it is possible your company might have services in place or on offer and it is worth looking on the intranet or asking a line manager.