Some viruses thrive in the winter and are easily spread during cold weather. The lack of sunlight also means there is less Vitamin D in your body during winter, which can lower your immune system. This makes it harder for the body to fight off infections, resulting in a higher chance of sickness, even amongst the healthy.

If you’re planning on avoiding the flu this year, going on holiday, starting University, having a child or just living a healthy lifestyle in general, then there are a number of extremely important vaccines you should know about.

1. Flu Vaccine:

Now is the perfect time to have your flu jab, to ensure protection for the entire winter.  Our adult flu vaccines are already in stock including Quadrivalent, FluAd and egg-free. Due to distribution delays, needle-free Quadrivalent vaccines for kids will be arriving soon.
– Find out more about the Flu Vaccine

2. MMR – Measles, Mumps and Rubella:

Many people who are now adults have never been vaccinated against measles, mumps or rubella, either from concerns over misinformation during the 1990s or because they simply missed out on getting protected.  As a result, there has been an alarming rise in cases and outbreaks, with several deaths. Unfortunately, this year the UK also lost its ‘Measles Free’ status. Two doses are needed for protection, and it is never too late to be vaccinated!
– Find out more about the MMR Vaccine

3. Chickenpox:

There’s no need for any child to go through the misery of the chickenpox. It is entirely preventable with a vaccine that is still not yet available on the NHS, Varicella. This vaccine can be given to children over the age of one year. 2 doses are recommended for full protection.
– Find out more about the Chickenpox Vaccine

4. Shingles:

Shingles is a horrible reactivation of the chickenpox virus in adults who have had chickenpox during childhood. It consists of a painful, blistering rash. The pain can linger for months or years but it is also preventable. Shingrix is a relatively new vaccine which provides the best protection against Shingles. It offers up to 90% immunity. Supplies worldwide are limited but The Fleet Street Clinic is one of the first medical practices in the UK to make it consistently available.
– Find out more about the Shingles Vaccine, Shingrix

5. HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) Vaccine:

HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer but also causes other genital, head & neck cancers. The national programme offers all 12- and 13-year-olds in school the Gardasil HPV vaccine. HPV-4 protects against 4 types of HPV. There is no “catch-up” programme for older children and adolescents.
At Fleet Street Clinic, we offer Gardasil 9. It offers greater protection against 5 additional types of HPV. In our opinion, if you have not received the HPV vaccine yet, you are better to get the HPV- Gardasil 9 vaccine to benefit from the extra protection it offers.
– Find out more about the HPV Vaccine, Gardasil 9

6. Whooping Cough:

Childhood vaccination does not give lifelong protection, and newborns are especially vulnerable. Vaccination is recommended during pregnancy, and may also be advisable if you have a close family member who is pregnant, or if you’re likely to be in close contact with their newborn baby.
– Find out more about Whooping Cough

7. Meningitis:

We offer Meningitis ACWY and Meningitis B vaccines. This vaccine is recommended to all those who fall outside the age groups currently targeted by the NHS or have an important deadline for protection.
– Find out more about Meningitis ACWY and Meningitis B vaccines

8. Hepatitis B:

Hepatitis B is spread by blood and body fluids. In most other developed countries, it has been a standard part of the childhood vaccination schedule for many years, but in the UK it has only just been added to the schedule at birth and infancy. There is no “catch-up” programme for older children and adolescents. We strongly believe this vaccine should be offered more widely – all young, sexually active adults ought to be protected.
– Find out more about Hepatitis B

9. Pneumonia:

We strongly recommend the Prevenar pneumonia vaccine for those aged 65 and over. Pneumonia can affect people of any age, but it’s more common and can be more serious, in certain groups of people, such as the very young or the elderly. Anyone with a past history of pneumonia, asthma or lung disease should also consider this vaccine. Anyone can get a pneumococcal infection, but not everyone is offered the pneumococcal vaccine on the NHS. Prevenar pneumonia vaccine protects against 13 of the most common strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.
– Find out more about the Pneumonia Vaccine

10. Rabies:

At the Fleet Street Clinic, we are well known for offering the full range of travel vaccines, always in stock. But if I had to pick just one vaccine I would never want to be without, it would be rabies. Protection is cheap, easy, safe and long-lasting – but expensive and hard to find if you are ever unlucky enough to be bitten abroad. I was once attacked by a dog in a remote part of Peru, and have had to look after dozens of travellers who have been in similar situations.
– Find out more about the Rabies Vaccine

Get in touch…

If you would like more information or require any of these vaccinations, please give us a call to arrange an appointment or book your appointment online today

Shringrix now in stock

We are pleased to say we have secured a limited stock of Shingrix at Fleet Street Clinic. These are the first doses to become available in the UK and have been specifically imported from other EU markets.

Globally, this vaccine is in extremely short supply and full supply is unlikely to be able to meet the demand for a number of years. This is even the case in the USA, where the vaccine was first launched since the vaccine has been recommended for routine use in over 50’s. There is unlikely to be an NHS program for the foreseeable future.

‘We believe we are the first medical practice in the UK to be able to offer our patients the new Shingrix vaccine, which provides powerful protection against a deeply unpleasant disease. As a full service medical practice with a longstanding commitment to cutting edge care, this follows an established tradition of UK vaccine “firsts” – including HPV for both sexes, Meningitis B, Zostavax, and Quadrivalent Flu.’

– Richard Dawood, Medical Director

What is Shingles?
Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is a painful skin rash caused by the chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster virus).
After you’ve recovered from chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus lies dormant in your nerve cells and can reactivate at a later stage when your immune system is weakened. Anyone who has had chickenpox can get shingles.

Who can get Shingles?
While you can get shingles at any age, the odds start climbing at 50, then more sharply with each decade. As your immune system weakens with age, that puts you at an increased risk for shingles.

Your risk for shingles increases as you age. Previously we had recommended the Zostavax vaccination for shingles; which is still available. The difference in vaccinations being, Zostavax is only around 50% effective in preventing shingles, but Shingrix efficacy is up to 90% in preventing shingles and it’s complications. 

Shingrix Vaccination Schedule…
The primary vaccination schedule consists of two doses of 0.5 ml each: an initial dose followed by a second dose 2 months later. If flexibility in the vaccination schedule is necessary, the second dose can be administered between 2 and 6 months after the first dose.

> Due to the scarcity of the vaccine, we recommend all those having the Shringrix vaccination to prepay for the second dose in advance.

Book your appointment today