Everyone in England aged over 50 is now able to book their COVID booster. Over 50s in Wales and Northern Ireland are already eligible for jabs. The Scottish government says that it will begin inviting 50 to 64 year olds soon.

We encourage everyone eligible for the COVID booster to get their boosters and also everyone to book their flu jabs. If you want to have both jabs at the same time, NHS England says you can ask during your first appointment, although it may not be possible.

The flu vaccination is important because:

• while flu is unpleasant for most people, it can be dangerous and even life threatening for some people, particularly those with certain health conditions
• more people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the COVID-19 pandemic
• if you get flu and COVID-19 at the same time, research shows you’re more likely to be seriously ill. By getting the flu vaccine, you reduce the risk of becoming a burden on the already overstretched NHS.

You can have the NHS flu vaccine at:

• your GP surgery
• a pharmacy offering the service – if you’re aged 18 or over
• some maternity services if you’re pregnant

As usual, CEMEX will reimburse the cost of the vaccination for those that are not entitled to a free jab.

All that employees have to do is provide their Line Manager with an itemised receipt and they will arrange for you to be reimbursed the cost of up to a maximum of £20.

Note for Managers: Requests for reimbursement should be sent to the HR Admin team on gb-hrcentraladmin@cemex.com