This month, I got my Autumn Covid-19 booster and annual flu jab. I didn’t have to pay for the flu jab as it is free for people with a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
and their carers. And nobody has to pay for the Covid-19 jab.
My GP set it all up at my local health centre, and I thought I'd share my
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
in case anybody is thinking about getting theirs.
I went along with my
support worker
Support workers
Support workers are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
are people who are paid to give care and support to people who need it.
. The buses were running late, so we decided to walk most of the way. It was a warm day for October, which I was not ready for as I had my big coat on! My phone also stopped working just when I needed it for directions. My support worker was able to direct us though. After a bit of a detour, feeling quite hot and a sore toe, we finally found the health centre.
When we got there, I had to fill out a
consent
Consent is when you say yes to something, like an operation, or Mencap using your photo for a story. You may have to sign something to say yes. If you can't make your own decisions, someone else can say yes or no for you. They must think about what is right for you.
form. It was a bit frustrating since I knew I was getting the jabs anyway, but I understand things have to be done the proper way. The form was not
accessible
Accessible means something is easy for people to use or join in with. For example: Accessible writing means the writing is easy to read and understand.
— it was not in
Easy Read
Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing.
or even large print, which made it hard for me to read. A little more thought into that would’ve been helpful!
I got two jabs, one in each arm—one for flu and one for Covid-19. Even though you don’t hear about Covid-19 as much in the news anymore, it's still really important to
protect
Protect means keeping someone or something safe.
yourself, especially if you're
vulnerable
Being vulnerable means being at risk of harm, or that you need special care because of your age or disability.
or have certain health conditions.
I’m really glad I got both. I’ve had flu and Covid-19 before, and I know how bad they can be. My arms were sore for a day, but that is a small price to pay. It feels good knowing I have done what I can to reduce the chances of getting ill.
If you are eligible for the Covid-19 booster or flu jab, I really recommend getting it. Stay safe and healthy!
You can find out more with the easy read guides on our
website
A website is a page you can go to on the internet like Google or YouTube.
. 👇